PETOSKEY — Students from across the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District submitted their best pieces of prose and poetry writing for the Crooked Tree Arts Center’s 22nd Annual Young Writers Exposition.

The winners were celebrated on April 24 at the Youth Arts Awards ceremony.

The contest is a partnership between Crooked Tree, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, the Little Traverse Literary Guild, the Petoskey News-Review and the Bob Schulze Fund for Creative Writing at the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation. Winning writers across all age groups received a medal, journal and a McLean & Eakin gift card. First place winners and the Best in Show winners have their work printed in the Petoskey News-Review.

All winning entries can be read at crookedtree.org/article/ctac-petoskey/2024-young-writers-exposition-winners.

Poetry

Elementary school

First place: “Too Much” by Alex Haase, fifth grade, Sheridan Elementary School 

Backstage-the audience talks. Too loudly

My heart-thump thump thump thump. Too fast

Curtains open slowly, too slow

Act one

Still backstage

Audience claps- Too loudly

Time goes by- too fast

I'm on

I walk-too fast

I sing- too quietly

Thank goodness for microphones!

They help-too much

Everything is too much

Way too much

Finale

A chance to be perfect for myself

I walk on-just on time

I sing- just the right tone, the right sound, the right volume.

The audience claps-just the right sound

I did it

I was perfect for myself

It was too much

But now….

It’s never too much-

Not for me

Middle school

First Place: "This State We Call Home" by Sadie Tebeau, seventh grade, Petoskey Middle School

Dusk is grasping the sky on a random Friday

Sitting in the backseat of my mom’s Toyota

I watch as the trees blur past my lustrous eyes, glazed with exhaustion

My hands are fidgeting with a straw wrapper from my now still soda

The air vent is blowing scents of cold fries and half eaten candy bars into my nose

A neutral expression is planted upon my face

I am clutching my off-white stuffed bear to my stomach

I take a moment to think

To think about this state I call home

As the car winds down I-75 my mind starts to play a motion picture behind my eyes

The setting sun casts a warm orange glow on my cheeks

I recall sitting on the shores of Lake Michigan

Watching the lake sip up the daytime sun as if it’s a locally produced wine

My feet are submerged in the soft sand

Still warm from the afternoon of that same said day

The waves kiss the shore in a lullaby like tone

The soft clink of glasses and laughter can be heard from afar

A lake house perhaps

Filled with guests who are having a dinner party

I wish to let the moment linger

The car splits a puddle on the road in two

Water splashes against the silver car as it drives further into the night

I recall the spring rain which falls with the same pitter-patter noise each and every time

A pristine scent fills the atmosphere

I am sitting on my porch watching the rain fall

My clothing is beginning to soak through and stick to my skin

I tip my head back with closed eyes and an open mouth

I welcome the cold rain to my face

A smile is sprouting from the corners of my mouth

I wish to wrap the clouds around my shoulders like a weighted blanket

The car rushes past a set of four crosses planted into the soil along the highway

A sudden disconsolate feeling fills my body to the brim and splashes into my eyes

I grow angry at the car for disturbing the peace and beauty of the night

Four lost souls are displayed for cars to rush past without a look back

The pothole covered pavement holds thousands of lost lives

I wish to bring them back

I wish for them to experience the magic of Lake Michigan once more

I allow my eyes to linger on the wooden crosses for a little longer out of respect

I pray that the mitten shape of Michigan is cradling them with comfort

For they once too knew each and every corner of this state we call home

High school

First place: “My Personal 'Where I’m From' Poem” by Sophia Eaton, 10th grade, Boyne City High School

I am from the reminiscence of my adolescence

I am from the yellow days on the fourth of the seventh,

Where our batch stuck together like raw cookie dough.

From valuing the companions as if they were one of us.

And welcoming our second selves because our tree will grow tall.

I am from biased morale boosters.

I’m from colorful lies used to shield us from the gloom of reality,

So we never have to let our hearts ache.

I am from accepting my losses and climbing through the trenches of what we call reality.

From valuing my aptitude for not silencing my voice.

I’m from the display of my core on a fine slice of paper.

From picking up the words that emerge a different reality to escape this enclosure,

to write my own expressions and make them a new world to reveal myself.

I am from the heart on my sleeve that walks behind the right.

From unleashing my ingenuity to help benefit my entity.

I’m from grades are everything, success is key.

I am from knowledge is substantial,

And a challenge is standard.

From keep your head up,

Along with, that’s just the way it is.

I am from the thirst of diversifying the world,

And fabricating new experiences.

From appraising my privilege and right to.

I’m from using my assets but those that I've gained.

I am from silence can be power.

I am from the loud and powerful new era.

Best in Show: “Adolescence in the Age of Destruction” by Evelyn Sharapova, 10th grade Petoskey High School

Act I

I am a soloist in this repetitive choreographic waltz

I bask in momentary adolescence

I ache in the bittersweet age of destruction

As the stage falls apart and the curtain dissipates

I go on with the show

Every step, every moment counts

I do not know how I got caught in this waltz

This inescapable, enrapturing, ploy

It has borrowed my feet and brought them into syncopated soliloquy

It has twisted my spine to make it compatible with the composition of my own decomposition

My youth is fraying with each passing second.

Act II

My Earth is no longer mine

My Earth was never meant to be a possession

My throat aches with resolute and my mind grows tired

I wonder, have I become the disintegration of the ground?

Dust is as dust was, just as ash is to ash and bone is to marrow

A candle is still made of wax as you burn it

I wonder, does my belonging in this chaos stem only from the fact I was born into this nonsensical disorder?

Act III

This adolescence of mine is held like a locket

But I cannot seem to keep it, the picture inside is fraying and the color mellows

No one likes old things anymore.

Movement is no longer the sweet citrus water in the throat of a dying man

It has become the dagger upon which the man impales for the sake of lasting boredom.

Act IV

I watch with failing confidence as the audience rises to clap

They are not clapping for me.

Can it foreshadow my future?

Can applause remove the shadows I cast in my destructive waltz?

My feet burst through the ground

The chairs cave into the Earth

This Earth wasn’t meant for me

It wasn’t meant for anyone.

Prose

Elementary school

First place: "The Legend of the Grand Canyon" by Sawyer Oberman, fifth grade, Sheridan Elementary School

Long, long ago, all the way up above the Rocky Mountains and before the Colorado river, there was a snake on the top of the world! (Literally, He lived in the clouds)

CHAPTER 1

One day, when Colorado was out playing in the clouds with his friend, dustball, who was literally a dustball, he heard a little, “squeak,” so he went over to investigate.

It turns out that it was just a little mouse who didn't have any friends. Well, Mouse was actually pretty excited to find someone who doesn't have any friends either! He thought he would make a friend out of Colorado. He was right in a million different directions.

Mouse and Colorado actually became really good friends! (after Colorado chucked the dustball off the side of the clouds). They played for hours and both of them were exhausted!

The next morning Colorado got up early the next day to go to Mouse’s house only to find that he couldn't fit in. Instead of going in, Colorado decided to just yell,

”c’mon Mouse, I've been waiting for you for like… at least 10 seconds!” and with that, Mouse popped right out of bed!

“Hey Colorado! What do you want to do today?!” Mouse said anxiously.

“Do you want to play over on cloud 9,” Colorado replied, “We could play king of the clouds!”

“Sure!” Mouse said, I'll meet you over there!

THEY. PLAYED. FOR. HOURS!

Until, one time when Colorado was king, Mouse pushed him off the wrong way.

CHAPTER 2

Colorado just barely hung on with his teeth, and he got right back up on top of the cloud. Then, he pushed Mouse off of the cloud! And this time, he couldn't hold on. Colorado, without thinking, jumped, fell, fell, and kept falling! When he pushed Mouse off, it was 1:23 pm, and when he finally hit the ground, making a big SMACK! It was 2:34 AM!

When Colorado looked up, he was surprised to see a little tiny Mouse right beside him, and a mile deep crevice in the earth right where he was, and he only had one thing to think about. HE MADE IT!!

“HEY, you made me fall down here!” said Mouse.

Colorado just then realized that he actually dug down to water! When Colorado tried to get out, he moved forward which just made a current! He stood up and saw a lake, so he plowed and crushed some more rock to get there.

When he got to the lake, he went up on shore to go meet Mouse.

“HOLY GUACAMOLE, WHAT DID YOU JUST DO??!!” Mouse exclaimed.

“Why are you asking me?!” Colorado asked.

“‘Cause it's 100% AWESOME!!” Mouse shouted!

“Fair enough, it is pretty cool.” Colorado agreed,

“It is pretty cool, but I'd like to call it a GRAND canyon!” Mouse told Colorado.

So that's what people started calling it.

And if you're wondering about the Colorado river, you obviously know what that was named after!

Middle school

First place: "War Reminiscence" by Cyril Sagan, eighth grade, St. Francis Xavier School

The wind was barely even blowing, it was only slightly moving the leaves of the enormous sycamore tree in the center of the park. The day was very hot even though it was only sunrise. In the middle of the park surrounding the gigantic sycamore were stone benches. On one of the benches sat a man. His looks weren’t really memorable. He looked to be about seventy-nine and had brownish-blackish hair. He had black eyes and a smile that was barely existing. It is only when you take a good look at him when you can see the haunted look in his eyes and his prothstetic leg. The man was wearing a navy blue zip-up hoodie and tan colored khakis. He had on a Arizona Cardinals hat that he wore a little tilted. His shoes were the limited edition Bucket Squad 1 shoes. The guy’s name was Jack Miller. It is November 1 and Jack is remorsful as he remembers the day he lost all his friends in addition to his leg.

Corporal Jack and his squad were nervous. It was in the middle of the vietnam war and they were going to have to go into the Vietnamese jungle without backup. Jack was hoping that he knew what he was doing. His best friend from boot camp had fallen asleep as it was 4:00 in the morning. Jack elbowed him in the stomach saying “ wake up”. His friend Jamal woke up with a start and punched Jack in the mouth. Jack’s eyes rolled into the back of his head, he barely retained concious. As Jamal apologized the sergeant yelled at them to get ready and that they would be leaving soon. Jack scrambled to his feet and pulled off a hasty salute as the sergeant passed him and Jamal. Jack ran to get his gear.

He cradled his M16 as it would be the only thing protecting him from the Vietnamese and their deadly ambushes. Jamal called him to get to the front of the camp as they were going to leave soon. As Jack was putting on his helmet and kevlar he heard the sergeant tell everyone to fall into formation. It was very hot and the sun was barely even surpassing the horizon. As the dawn arrived they started to move through the jungle. The jungle provided no protection against the sweltering heat. Jack was sweating when all of a sudden they heard a scream. Jack checked to see where Jamal was, and as soon as Jack saw him he asked what had happened. Jamal told Jack that someone had stepped on a land mine and had exploded. Jack clutched his M16 knowing that if anything were to happen that it would be the only thing that would help him survive. He checked the magazine and saw that it was full.

They started to march quietly through the jungle again. After they had been walking for about an hour the dog handler held up his hand signaling for them to stop. Jack found Jamal and they stood back to back. Jack scanned the undergrowth. All of a sudden the earth imploded. Jack pulled the trigger and let his bullets fly cutting through the leaves of trees. As soon as the magazine ran out he dropped to the ground and pulled out another to put into his rifle. Jack heard screams coming from his platoon and the woods as he was loading a spare magazine he saw Jamal get shot in the head. Jack knew while Jamal was still falling that his friend was dead. Jack moved towards Jamal to try and comfort his best friend while he was dying. Jack got up with a vengeance in his eyes and started blasting out bullets from his rifle.

When his gun jammed he threw it down and pulled out his bowie knife along with a pack of grenades. As Jack was pulling the pin from a grenade he felt excruciating pain in his left leg when he looked down he saw blood pouring out of a wound in his thigh. Jack was starting to pass out but he knew that if he fell asleep he would never wake up. He saw that his platoon was almost gone ,but he kept fighting even though he knew that he would probably die. After Jack had thrown his last grenade he realized that everyone in his squad had been killed except for him. Jack also realized that the Vietnamese soldiers had left and that the battle was over. He buried all of his friends and leading officer then limped 8 miles back through the jungle to get back to camp. He was given a medal but deep down Jack knew that the people who had died deserved the medal more than he did.

As Jack pulled back from his reverie He realized that his grandson Andrew was pulling on his hand. Andrew told him that they were going to go get ice cream as a reward for Andrew winning his tournament. Jack got up off the bench and followed his grandson to his daughter’s car. As Jack was getting in he realized that he was lucky to have survived the ambush and even luckier to have had an amazing life after he got injured. Jack knows the pain and heartbreak that comes during war but he also knows that things can be healed with enough time and love.

The End

High school

First place: "To Lose Yourself" by Georgia Kreiter, ninth grade, Boyne City High School

I used to think being lost was not being able to find my parents in public. But now I know being lost is a feeling inside of you. Growing up I struggled with people's images of me. 3rd through 4th grade was when it started to get bad. I remember coming home from school and crying for hours at night to my mom and dad over small things that at the time felt like they were affecting my entire world. As I got older and experienced more in life like moving 4 hours away from where I grew up, my grandpa passing away, my dog dying, having my feelings hurt by a boy, and watching my friends slowly change personalities and fade away. I realized I was slowly starting to lose myself.

Wanting to look good everyday, turned into not caring about how I look. Wanting to get perfect grades, turned into ¨as long as I pass¨. ¨I need a good night of sleep¨, turned into physically not being able to fall asleep at night. ¨I can't miss school I will fall behind¨, turned into multiple absences.

It became so bad my parents started noticing the change in how I acted. I stopped doing things I once loved before. Like playing my childhood sports. And for the most part I wouldn't even leave my bedroom. My parents have always tried to set me up for success and give me everything I need to thrive in life from day one, But recently I think even they don't know how to help.

When you start to lose yourself everyone around you starts to lose you too. Whether that's what you want or not. You start to feel like a whole different person but in the same body. You feel numb, like you repeat the same day over and over. Just trying to get through the day, turns into just trying to get through the week. Which turns into making it to the next month, and then finally getting to summer when school gets out. Then everything just repeats itself again.

Sometimes I wake up and wish I could go back. Go back to when the influence of others didn't affect me. And others' opinions wouldn't bother me so much. Even if the feeling of ¨losing yourself¨ goes away, it will always come back. If I've learned anything from life so far. I think it would be to try and create a life you can't wait to wake up to.

Best in Show: "The Government Issued Manual for you State Sponsored Child" by Henry Burris, ninth grade, Petoskey High School

Thank you for applying for a government issued child! You have received one (1) standard issue child (base model, 2024 version, X3877BR725A), as per your state’s allocated funding. This is the instruction manual for your new child.

1) Software updates

Your child will receive free software updates known as “schooling” for the first 18 years of its life. These updates will provide it with bug fixes and new features, such as the ability to read, write, and do increasingly complex arithmetic. These software updates will also provide refinements to the language model that powers your child's ability to read, talk, understand speech, and have creative thought using generative ai technology. Your child will receive these free software updates, (“schooling”) for the first 18 years of its life. After that, your specific model will become phased out and will no longer receive these updates. However, after schooling, you may select for your child to receive one (1) to eight (8) years of paid software updates known as “collage”. These updates are very large, and often take months to download. During this period, if you wish, you can send in your child to a state-sponsored facility to receive these updates. This has been a brief summary of schooling for your state issued child. To get the full guide, visit www.your-childs-education-.mi/gov and enter your child's serial number, X3877BR725A.

2) Charging

You can charge your state issued child using power cells known as “food”. Depending on the variety of power cell you choose, it will power your child for six (6) to twenty-four (24) hours. Your child model X3877BR725A accepts power cell (food) models A5123 (V. 1.2.6), RO9925 (V. 2.8.1), and E66951 (V. 11.7.1) and later versions of these same models. Power cells can be inserted into your child via the hole in its face and removed through the hole between its legs once the energy in them has been consumed. For the first two (2) to four (4) years of its life, theremoval of these energy cells must be done manually. After that, your child will receive a firmware update that will allow it to attach to the receptacle in your bathroom and remove expended power cells automatically. They will be carried away to the state recycling center in two (2) to five (5) business days. Expended power cells are recycled into new ones as part of our efforts to become carbon neutral within the next decade. For more information about our carbon neutrality efforts, and your child's charging, please visit www.your-childs-charging.mi.gov and enter your childs serial number, X3877BR725A.

3) Uses for your child

If raised correctly, your child will provide you with many years of both fulfillment and entertainment. A well-raised child will also gain the ability to perform various household chores. Your child is not programmed with these abilities, so they must be adapted through training of the language model that powers your child. This is just one of the many uses for your state-sponsored child. For more information about uses for this child, please visit www.your-childs-uses.mi.gov.

This has been a brief summary of the instruction manual for your state-issued child. Please visit www.your-child.mi.gov and enter your childs serial number (X3877BR725A) to learn more.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Read the winning entries in CTAC’s 2024 Young Writers Exposition