2019-2020 National Literary Competition Winners

Grand Prize Winners

Writing Competition: Sasha Traver of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

ASL Competition: Eva Momosea of Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind – YouTube

Note: For writing winners’ entries, you will need to read them on our Facebook page.

Writing Category Winners

Middle School Creative Writing

1st place: Sasha Traver of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

2nd place: Zoe Bell of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

High School Creative Writing

1st place: Henry Severson of Madison West High School

2nd place: Thalia Guettler of Maryland School for the Deaf

Middle School Creative Writing Honorable Mentions

Sirrah Wilding, New Mexico School for the Deaf

Za’Bella Tomlinson, Texas School for the Deaf

Jayda Jacobson, Metro Deaf School

Brady Antaya, Timony Grammar School

Gianna Wheeler, Indiana School for the Deaf

Madison Menard, Louisiana School for the Deaf

Jarrod Burns, New Mexico School for the Deaf

Mya Malone, New Mexico School for the Deaf

Dashiel Ferguson, Rocky Mountain Deaf School

Middle School Poetry

1st place: Gianna Wheeler of Indiana School for the Deaf

2nd place: Jocelyn Melendez of New Mexico School for the Deaf

High School Poetry

1st place: Donovan Holmes of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

2nd place (tie): Ashari Alexander of Louisiana School for the Deaf

2nd place (tie): Monica Chavez of New Mexico School for the Deaf

Poetry Honorable Mentions

Middle School:

Kylie Steele, Indiana School for the Deaf

Cristian Lopez-Rodriguez, Iowa School for the Deaf

Alyxandra Sforzo, Indiana School for the Deaf

High School:

Gabriela David, Model Secondary School for the Deaf

Amanda Maisel, Maryland School for the Deaf

Priscilla Godfrey, Kentucky School for the Deaf

Ashley Schroeder, Iowa School for the Deaf

Middle School Essay

1st place: Gianna Wheeler of Indiana School for the Deaf

High School Essay

1st place: Clark Barrett of California School for the Deaf, Riverside

2nd place (tie): Seanna Baird of Indiana School for the Deaf

2nd place (tie): Monica Chavez of New Mexico School for the Deaf

High School Essay Honorable Mentions

Serena Rush, Model Secondary School for the Deaf

ASL Category Winners

Elementary ASL Poetry

1st place: Ariel Johnson of Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place: Rebekah Hill of Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf – YouTube

Middle School ASL Poetry

1st place: Eva Momosea of Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Jacob Mahoney of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Akeisha Jackson of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School – YouTube

High School ASL Poetry

1st place: Damien Holste of Iowa School for the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Tyler Zorn of Maryland School for the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Holly Schroeder of Iowa School for the Deaf – YouTube

Deaf Plus ASL Poetry

1st place: Samantha Leon Herrera of California School for the Deaf, Fremont – YouTube

2nd place: Alrhey Ching Margarejo of California School for the Deaf, Fremont – YouTube

ASL Poetry Honorable Mentions

HS Poetry:

Jamal Johnson of Maryland School for the Deaf

Ciara Luttrell of Maryland School for the Deaf

Noor Khder of Jean Massieu School of the Deaf

Justine Locatelli of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

Narmandakh Chinbat of Rocky Mountain School for the Deaf

MS Poetry:

Jesie Pascua of Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind

Gianna Visco of California School for the Deaf, Riverside

Sevan Ikeda of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

Magda Utley of Gage Middle School

ES Poetry:

Brianna Vasquez-Silva of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

Lucas Ritchmeyer of Rochester School for the Deaf

Aizen Zuchegno of Rochester School for the Deaf

Maiyalene Utley of Bryant Elementary School

DP Poetry:

Luis Santiago Ventura Sozo of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

Ira Angus of John Massieu School of the Deaf

Ali Al-Saeeda of John Massieu School of the Deaf

Elementary ASL Storytelling

1st place: Ava Plummer of Kansas School for the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place: Etienne Williams of Rocky Mountain Deaf School – YouTube

Middle School ASL Storytelling

1st place: Hiruni Hewapathiranage-Mayadunne of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Michelle Eicher of Indiana School for the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Macy Pulos of California School for the Deaf, Riverside – YouTube

High School ASL Storytelling

1st place: Skyler Withrow of Texas School for the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place: Thalia Guettler of Maryland School for the Deaf – YouTube

Deaf Plus ASL Storytelling

1st place: Sarah Gubler of Jean Massieu School of the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place: Kaitlyn Nerhood of Sequoia Deaf School – YouTube

ASL Storytelling Honorable Mentions

HS Storytelling:

Anevay Patterson of Maryland School for the Deaf

Kali Nipper of Iowa School for the Deaf

Jordan Laikram of Lexington School for the Deaf

Levante Sanders of Wisconsin School for the Deaf

MS Storytelling:

Sophia Wascher of Indiana School for the Deaf

Lily Spicer of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School

Tiana Starayev of Indiana School for the Deaf

ES Storytelling:

Ariel Johnson of Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf

Todd Sevier of Rocky Mountain School for the Deaf

Brady Herman of California School for the Deaf, Riverside

Lael Eberwein Zornoza of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

DP Storytelling:

Jesus Santacruz of California School for the Deaf, Fremont

Marion Epps of Sequoia Deaf School

Angel Gonzalez of California School for the Deaf, Riverside

Elementary ASL Presentation

1st place: Angelina Kivitis of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School – YouTube

2nd place: Talia Willey-Saunders of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School – YouTube

Middle School ASL Presentation

1st place: Levi Wood of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School – YouTube

2nd place: Savannah Brown of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School – YouTube

High School ASL Presentation

1st place: Tyler Cardoso of California School for the Deaf, Fremont – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Caitlyn Smith of Indiana School for the Deaf – YouTube

2nd place (tie): Seanna Baird of Indiana School for the Deaf – YouTube

ASL Presentation Honorable Mentions

HS Presentation:

Pablo Maya of John Massieu School of the Deaf

Patrick Seifert of Metro Deaf School

Megan Dukes of Indiana School for the Deaf

Molly McEvoy of Iowa School for the Deaf

MS Presentation: 33:02

John Dietz of John Massieu School of the Deaf

Magda Utley of Gage Middle School

Michelle Eicher of Indiana School for the Deaf

Caroline Majeri of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School

ES Presentation: 42:48

Lucas Fleming of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School

Austin Sharer of Indiana School for the Deaf

Kane Wilding of New Mexico School for the Deaf

Ryder Allen-Bruns of Rocky Mountain School for the Deaf