Young writers shine in English department writing contest
Eight high school students from across the Houston area were recognized as winners in the San Jacinto College Central Campus English Department’s inaugural writing contest. The awards ceremony took place Thursday, May 1 in the Central Campus Library Grand Hall.
The writing contest, themed "Lessons from my community," invited students to share perspectives and stories drawn from their own experiences. The winning students, representing seven different high schools and six school districts, were each awarded $100 and given the opportunity to read their works aloud.
"James Baldwin said, 'You write in order to change the world,'" said Dr. Celucien Joseph, San Jacinto College Central Campus English department chair. "While our award recipients might not have set out to change the world, their words remind us that change often begins with a single well-crafted sentence. These students' work stood out among many and have shown that writing is not just a task, but a meaningful and vital form of expression."
The contest featured three categories: academic essay, poetry, and short story.
Academic Essay
- Elizabeth Luna, 10th grade, Pasadena High School
- Eliat Rodriguez, 11th grade, Sam Rayburn High School
Poetry
- Kelvin Johnson, 12th grade, César E. Chavez High School
- Rowan Leidecker, 11th grade, La Porte High School
Short Story
- Tatum Dixon, 12th grade, Clear Horizon Early College High School
- Alaa Kassem, 11th grade, North Shore Senior High School
- Diego Ramirez, 9th grade, Stephen F. Austin High School
- Alanis Trevino, 10th grade, Sam Rayburn High School
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than 1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately 45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s.
