Sterling Bradley of McCallum High School, won the 61st Annual Nancy Thorpe Poetry Contest for the poem, “Dying in the Nuclear Apocalypse is Easier than Ever!” Bradley will receive a $350 cash prize; publication in Cargoes, Hollins’ award-winning student literary magazine; ten copies of Cargoes; a renewable scholarship of up to $5,000 provided through the Creative Talent Award in Creative Writing for a total value of $20,000 in scholarship funds over four years (applicable if enrolled at Hollins); and free tuition and housing for the university’s Hollinsummer creative writing program for rising ninth through 12th grade students.
Six students earned second-place honors in this year’s contest. Each will receive publication in Cargoes; two copies of the magazine; a renewable scholarship of up to $1,000 provided through the Creative Talent Award in Creative Writing for a total value of $4,000 in scholarship funds over four years (applicable if they enroll at Hollins); and a $500 scholarship to apply toward Hollinsummer.
The second-place winners include:
Amy Lin
Princeton Day School
Princeton, NJ
Title: “abecedarian for wài pó”
Rebecca Cai
Lynbrook High School
San Jose, CA
Title: “good husbands don’t waste pickle juice”
Ela Kini
Hunter College High School
New York, NY
Title: “Lesser-American Gospel”
Yoonsuh Sophie Kim
Trinity School
New York, NY
Title: “How to Boil Frogs”
Grace Ding
Obra D Tompkins High School
Katy, TX
Title: “bikes & bones”
Keya Mehta
Emma Willard School
Troy, NY
Title: “Nowruz”
The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest awards prizes for the best poems submitted by young students who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school or homeschooled. This year, 432 contestants from 37 states, the District of Columbia, and fourteen countries outside the U.S. entered works for consideration. In addition to the seven first- and second-place recipients, there were 20 Finalists. 76 students received Honorable Mention for their submissions.
Nancy Thorp, a member of Hollins’ class of 1960, was a young poet who showed great promise as an undergraduate student. Following her death in 1962, her family established the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest to encourage and recognize the work of young poets.
