Contest began in the 2012-2013 season.

2021-2022 Winners
Judge: Gary Powell
1st Prize: Mary Struble Deery, "Catching Firefies in the Bar"
2nd Prize: Richard Pryll Jr, "No Good Deed"      
3rd Prize: Michael Banks, "Seven Days a Sinner"

Honorable Mentions:

2020-2021 Winners
Judge: Luke Whisnant
1st Prize: Michael Beadle, "General Binky"
2nd Prize: Paul Kurzeja, "Spring Storm"      
3rd Prize: David E. Poston, "In Therapy"

Honorable Mentions:

2019-2020 Winners
Judge: Ruth Moose
1st Prize: Margaret Cahill, "A Rewrite"
2nd Prize: Maureen Sherbondy, “Adonai”       
3rd Prize: Ashley Memory, “Fortune Favors the Brave”           

2018-2019 Winners
Judge: Wiley Cash
1st Prize: Gary Powell, "Breakage"
2nd Prize: Gina Malone, "Table Talk"
3rd Prize: Sarah Parisi, "Private Back Yard"

2017-2018 Winners
Judge: Anna Jean Mayhew
1st Prize: Kelly Wisdom, "Fellowship"
2nd Prize: Maureen Sherbondy, "The Audience Instigator"
3rd Prize: Matthew Banash, "Oasis"

2016-2017 Winners
Judge: Bryn Chancellor
1st Prize: Gary V Powell, "Low Country Boil"
2nd Prize: Gina Malone, "Lulaby"
3rd Prize: Mary Struble Deery , "Edgar and Harley"

2015-2016 Winners
Judge: Tommy Tomlinson
1st Prize: Paul Reali, "How to Wake Up"
2nd Prize: Victoria Wright, "A Ghost Story"
3rd Prize: William McIlwain, "The Bell Tower"

2013-2014 Winners
Judge: Ruth Moose
1st Prize: Jan B. Parker, “Lies May Get You Everywhere”
2nd Prize: Tamara Wilson, “I Hear Music”
3rd Prize: Leslie M. Rupracht, “Bird’s-eye View”
Honorable Mentions:
Heather Adams, “When We Could See But Did Not Know”
Suzanne M. Degni, “Road to Nowhere”
Megan Roberts, “They Say”

2012-2013 Winners
Judge: Ruth Moose
1st Prize: Mary Struble Deery for “Slither”
2nd Prize:  Robin Yelton for “Proof of Purchase”
3rd Prize: Gina Malone for “A Time”
Honorable Mentions:
Suzanne Degni for “Family Secrets: Bradford County, 1940”
Randy White for “Broken Glass”
Tamra Wilson for “Mama’s Gift”

2021-2022 Winners
Judge: Patrice Gopo
1st Prize: Lucinda Trew, 'Mothers and Mirrors'
2nd Prize: Elizabeth Gaines, 'Don't You Go Changin'
3rd Prize: Lynne Williams, 'Parallel Universe'

2020-2021 Winners
Judge: Judy Goldman
1st Prize: Nancy Zupanec, "A Handful of Minutes"
2nd Prize: Paul Carr, "Playback Can Be a Bitch" 
3rd Prize: Mark Settle, "A Critic's Choice"

Honorable Mentions:
1st Honorable Mention: Patricia Joslin, "On the Edge"
2nd Honorable Mention: Lynn Gorksi, "Winged Victory"
3rd Honorable Mention: Douglass Croft, "Sports Teams"

2019-2020 Winners
Judge: Charles Israel
1st Prize: Nikki Campo, "Queen of Birthdays"
2nd Prize: Janet K. Baxter, "Your Classic Friend, Frank"
3rd Prize: Lori Johnson, "Loss of Contact"

2018-2019 Winners
Judge: Michael Chitwood
1st Prize: Barbara Johnson Davis, "Five Lies"
2nd Prize: Charles Canaday, "The Spots are Runn'n"
3rd Prize: Gala Palmer, "Esther’s Secret"

2017-2018 Winners
Judge: Fannie Flono
1st Prize: Nancy Zupanec, “Two Grandmothers"
2nd Prize: Susan Proctor, “A Birthday Story"
3rd Prize: Landis Wade, “First Dance”

2016-2017 Winners
Judge: Amy Rogers
1st Prize: Lucia Robinson for "Half a Life in Gloves'
2nd Prize: Suzanne M. Degni for "Kingsley Lake Lost Lake"
3rd Prize: Justin Hunt for "Hog Trade with Dutch Shobe: A Memoir"

Honorable Mention: Susan Proctor for "Skinny Skimming" and "Milestones and Pebbles"

2015-2016 Winners
Judge: Dannye Romine Powell
1st Prize: Michelle Handler for 'Breasts'
2nd Prize: Tracy Himes for 'Betty and Bernice: My Mothers'
3rd Prize: Leslie M. Rupracht for 'My Rock'

2014-2015 Winners
Judge: Mary Curtis
1st Prize: Terry White for "Bon Voyage"
2nd Prize: Justin Hunt for "A Conversation I Wasn't Supposed to Hear"
3rd Prize: Andrew E. Kalnick for "The Longevity of Manila Folders"

2013-2014 Winners
Judge:
1st Prize:
2nd Prize:
3rd Prize:

2012-2013 Winners
Judge: Kay McSpadden
1st Prize: Emily Kern for "What I Can't Tell My Mother"
2nd Prize: Tamra Wilson for "Wildflowers"
3rd Prize: Michael Sharon for "Greetings from Heritage USA!"
Honorable Mentions:
Rebecca Vincent for "Mirror, Mirror"
Alicia Laurido for "James"
Laura King Edwards for "Sandcastles"

2011-2012 Winners

2010-2011 Winners
Judge: Mary Akers, Author
1st Prize: Lisa Kunkleman for "Rest in Peace?"
2nd Prize: Annie Maier for "Restitution"
3rd Prize: Connie Fisher for "Millie's Tale"
Honorable Mentions:
Billy Haake for "Forgiveness is Freedom"
Annie Maier for "Advertising with God"
Ken Burrow for "The Lilies of the Field"

2009-2010 Winners
Judge: Elizabeth (“Betsy”) Carlisle
1st Prize: Aaron McAlexander for "Crossings"
2nd Prize: Gail Peck for "Child Waiting"
3rd Prize: Annie Maier for "A John"
Honorable Mentions:
Kit Sluder for "Being Present"
Marianne Cassels for "Of Forests, Flowers and a Phantom"
Erika Hoffman for "Curse the Turkey: Pass the Pepto"

2008-2009 Winners
Judge: Jan Schochet, historian and author
1st Place: Wendy Oglesby for "The Red Dog"
2nd Place: Joseph H. Spencer for "Passing On"
3rd Place: Elizabeth Swann for "Fishin’ Time"
Honorable Mentions:
Diane Hoover Bechtler for “Moving on Highway Number 8”
Terry Dancy for “The Bridesmaid’s Doll”
Aaron McAlexander for “The Stockman”

2007-2008 Winners

2006-2007 Winners
Judge: Van Garrison

2005-2006 Winners
1st Place: Danna Ray for "A Bowl of Beets"
2nd Place: Andrew E. Kalnik for "Names at Work"
3rd Place: Marisa Rosenfeld for "Titanic, A Love Story"
Honorable Mentions:
Marisa Rosenfeld for "Miguel"
Lynn Gorski for "Winged Victory"
Shelley Stout for "By Way of Captivity"

2004-2005 Winners
Given in Honor of Katharine W. Osborne
Sponsor: Main Street Rag Publishers
1st Place: Larry Rogers for "A War Story"
2nd Place: Aaron McAlexander for "Bri Wink"
3rd Place: Edward McKeown for "A Life in Art"
Honorable Mentions:
Sharon Kurtzman for "Greenlight"
Sharon Kurtzman for "Roses are Red, Martians are Green"
Marisa Rosenfeld for "Celia"

2003-2004 Winners
1st Place: John York
2nd Place: Gilda Morina Syverson
3rd Place: Marylin J. Coffey
Honorable Mentions:
Maureen Ryan Griffin
Caroline Castle Hicks
Rosie Molinary

One Time Contest to honor Helen Copeland

Judge: Ruth Moose - 'Congratulations to all who entered.  I am really impressed with the quality of the entries.  Never have so few words accomplished so much.'

1st Prize: Pat Everett for 'Dividing of the Stuff'
2nd Prize: Mary Deery Struble for "The Tie That Binds"
3rd Prize: Jenifer Ruff for "The Attorney"

2021-2022 Winners
Judge: David Radavich
1st Prize: Darian Kiener for "Of Life"
2nd Prize: Nathan Nicolau for "Touching Coltrane's Tenor Sax"
3rd Prize: Elizabeth Ouzts for "2 Girls and 4 Pines"

Honorable Mention: Linda Phillips for "Morgan on the Couch One Last Time"

2020-2021 Winners
Judge: Ashley Lumpkin
1st Prize: Joyce Compton Brown, "Nightsong"
2nd Prize: Michael Cox, "Bank Fishing on the Tippecanoe"
3rd Prize: David Poston, "That Which Is Wanting Cannot Be Numbered"

Honorable Mentions
"The Reception", by Jonathan Heaslet
"Walking the Blue Star Without You", by Patricia Joslin
"Now & Then", by Randy White

2019-2020 Winners
Judge: Catherine Carter
1st Prize: Lucinda Trew, "The Ride"
2nd Prize: Becky Aijala, " Jumping Waves with My Mother at Horseneck Beach"
3rd Prize: Janet Ford, "Eagles"

2018-2019 Winners
Judge: Terri Kirby Erickson

Adult Category

1st Prize: Randy White for "Bone Dry, 1935" 

2nd Prize:Timothy Sanborn for "A Memory of Sound"

3rd Prize: John McGillicuddy for "The Great Blue Heron"

2017-2018 Winners
Judge: Tina Barr

Student Undergraduate Category
1st Prize: Evana Bodiker for “Texas Summer”
2nd Prize: Ella McDermott  for “Adoration”
3rd Prize:  Barry Smith for “Apparitions of Youth”   

Adult Category

1st Prize: Lucia Robinson for “Does a Bar in the Hand Beat a Guggenheim?”

2nd Prize: Danielle Pasqua for “Colors of Hope”

3rd Prize: Richard Allen Taylor  for “Ginger, the Yellow Lab”

2016-2017 Winners
Judge: John Amen

Student Category
1st Prize: Katie Gomulkiewicz (Davidson College) for her poem, “Next Winter”
2nd Prize: Evana Bodiker (UNC-Chapel Hill) for her poem, “Blue Morpho”
3rd Prize: Leah Mell (Davidson College) for her poem, “Finale, for Jack”
 
Adult Category
1st Prize: Ione (Tootsie) O’ Hara for her poem, “Watching the Weather”
2nd Prize: Peter Leslie for his poem, “Choose Carefully Your Springs”
3rd Prize: Lynn Veach Sadler for her poem, “Nebular Hypothesis with Proofs”

2015-2016 Winners
Judge: Anthony Abbott

Student Category
1st Prize: Eliza Stokes for "After What's Your Name"
2nd Prize: Charles Murray (adult) for "Afterimage"
3rd Prize: Katie Gomulkiewicz for "Solar System Q&A"
Honorable Mention: Eric Janken for "Stillborn" and "To Blind Willy Johnson"
Honorable Mention: Tevin Henderson for "Cotton Field"

Adult Category
1st Prize: Pam Pelligrino for "Elevator Angel"
2nd Prize: Caroline Kenna for "Auditioning Words"
3rd Prize: Lee Stockdale for "Making It Look Easy"
Honorable Mention: Lynn Sadler for "       "
 

2021-2022 Winners
Judge: Bryn Chancellor
1st Prize:  Barbara Eckroad for '"Coconuts"
2nd Prize: Eric Paullin for "Out of the Box"
3rd Prize: Mary Struble Deery for "Snakes on Demand"

Honorable Mention: Catherine Con for "Invisible Stars"  

2020-2021 Winners
Judge: Abigail DeWitt
1st Prize: Carrie Knowle for "Souvenirs"
2nd Prize: Suzanne Adams for "Bones" 
3rd Prize: Brodie Lowe for "Snake Oil"

Honorable Mention: Todd Adams for 'The Art of Class"

2019-2020 Winners
Judge: Amy Rogers
1st Prize: Janet Ford for "Subject to It"
2nd Prize: Julia Borreno for "If Mama Ain't Happy"
3rd Prize: Gary Powell for "Red and Red"

First Honorable Mention: David Russell for "Sheri Started IT"
Second Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Miller for "A Birthday Gift"

2018-2019 Winners
Judge: Robert Inman
1st Prize: Roger Colberg for "Dark Ride"
2nd Prize: Zachary Brown for "Days of Rest"
3rd Prize: Les Brown for "The Poker Game"

2017-2018 Winners
Judge: Michel Stone
1st Prize: Martha Brenner for "Liver and Onions"
2nd Prize: Dawn Ronco for "Trophy Wife"
3rd Prize: Gary Powell for "Road Trip"

2016-2017 Winners
Judge: Paula Martinac
1st Prize: Paul Reali for "Running the Trees"
2nd Prize: Carol Roan for "Halloween"
3rd Prize: Susan Mills Wilson for "Back Home"

2015-2016 Winners
Judge: Patricia Bostian - Judge did not choose any winners
1st Prize: None
2nd Prize: None
3rd Prize: None

2014-2015 Award Winners
Judge: Kathryn Schwille
1st prize: Gina Malone for "Orogenesis"
2nd prize: Susan Mills Wilson for "A New Beginning"
3rd prize: Michele Handler for "A Life Without Roses"

2013-2014 Winners
1st Prize: Laura Forester for  "Blessed Be the Tie that Binds"
2nd Prize: Matthew Banash" for "Operator, Get Me Jesus on the Line"
3rd Prize: Paul Kurzeja for "Desaray"

2011-2012 Winners
Final Judge: Val Nieman
1st Place: Wendy Oglesby for “Daddy's Girl”
2nd Place: Gary Powell for “Super Nova”
3rd Place: Thomas McConnell for “How We Live Now”

First Honorable Mention: Claudette Cohen for "The Mayor of Biscoe"
Second Honorable Mention: Nichole Gause for "A Day in a Pretty Girl's Life"
Third Honorable Mention: Tamra Wilson for "Strongheart"

2010-2011 Winners
Final Judge: Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket)
1st Place: Sean Carter for “Youngblood”
2nd Place: Kristin Sherman for “Sacrament”
3rd Place: Linda Heuring for “Whatever Will Do”
Honorable Mentions: (in no particular order)
Adam Lucas for “A Modern White Supremacist”
Rajni Gupta for “Indian Railways”
Carol Roan for “The Womb Room”

2009-2010 Winners
Final Judge: Andrew Hartley
1st Place: Gilbert Allen for "Trash"
2nd Place: Mary Margaret Keaton for "Forgotten Again"
3rd Pace: Bretton Holmes for "Hyperbolic Doubt"
Honorable Mentions:
Nicholas Bradley for "Neighbors"
Joseph Cavano for "Soldiers"
Ellar Cooper (submitted as Laura Rebecca Cooper Cook) for "One Blue, One Black and Oranges"

2008-2009 Winners
1st Place: Kristin Sherman for “Not Those Gypsies”
2nd Place: Jennifer Hubbard for “A Sister’s Story”
3rd Place: Tammy Wilson for “The Pink Lady”
Honorable Mentions:
Nicholas Bradey for “The Photograph”
Tootsie O’Hara for “An Amazing Life”
Carol Roan for “The Street Walker”
 
2007-2008 Winners
Judges: Ashley Nissler, Susan Keith & Laurie Edwards (Final Judge)
1st Place: Lynn Veach Sadler for “Getting’ Above My Raisin"
2nd Place: M. A. Tuohy for “A Pair of Epiphanies"
3rd Place: Gwen Veazey for “Sound Moves”
Honorable Mentions:
Elaine St. Anne for “Thirteen Bachelors”
Toccoa Switzer for “When the Music Stops”
 
2006-2007 Winners
Judges: Meredith Hall (Final Judge)

2005-2006 Winners
Judges: Amy Rogers, Kevin Watson & Pinckney Benedict (Final Judge)
1st Place: Susan Woodring for "Radio Vision"
Honorable Mentions:
Elizabeth Hatley for "Diversions"
Betty Wilson Beamguard for "Connie Sue Confesses"
Elaine St. Anne for "Cleaning Up"
 
2004-2005 Winners
Judges: Robert Wallace, Isabel Zuber & Douglas Glover (Final Judge)
1st Place: Shelley Stout for "The Coachella Inn"
2nd Place: Betty Burgin Snow for "The Great Commission"
3rd Place: Elaine Orr for "The Hair Cut"
Honorable Mentions:
Nichole Gause for "Every Good-bye Ain't Gone"
Louisa Jones for "What's Bad for You"
Raymond Morrison for "Shrimp Are Born Dead"

2003-2004 Winners
Judges: Paige Owens, Been Steelman & Fred Leeborn (Final Judge)
1st Place: Sara Claytor for "Variations of Red"
Honorable Mention:
Emily Kern for "A Meeting of the Minds"

2002-2003 Winners
1st Place: Paige Owens for "Winter Journal"
Honorable Mentions:
Nichole Gause for "Work"
Wanda Owings for "Baby Dance"

Contest combined with Anthony Abbott Poetry Prize to create the category Poetry Contest 2015/2016.

2014-2015 Award Winners
Judge: Grace Ocasio
1st prize: Justin Hunt for "Auguri"
2nd prize: Emily Wilmer for "Echoes of the Word"
 

2013-2014 Award Winners
Judge: Dannye Romine Powell
1st prize: Barbara Campbell for "Summer Ache"
2nd prize: Justin Hunt for "Cold Night in March"
3rd prize: Justin Hunt for "Of Light and Time

2012-2013 Award Winners
Judge: Richard Krawiec
1st Prize: Justin Hunt for "On the Phone with Kansas"
2nd Prize:  Richard Allen Taylor for “Ways of Leaving”
3rd Prize: Justin Hunt for “Slide Collection”
Honorable Mentions:
Geoffrey Martineau for “Droughts”
Justin Hunt for “November”
Richard G. Sharp for "Requiem for Luciana"

2011-2012 Award Winners
Contest Judge: Robert West
1st Place: Suzanne M. Degni for "Utica, New York: January 1935"
2nd Place: Anthony S. Abbott for "What I Would Have Said"
3rd Place: Elizabeth Swann for "Wishbone"
Honorable Mentions:
David Radavich for "Echo"   
Sandra Ann Winters for "Still Life"

2010-2011 Award Winners

Contest Judge: Kristin Berkey-Abbott
1st Place: Maureen Sherbondy for "What the Prince Doesn’t Know"
2nd Place: Maureen Sherbondy for "Unveiling"
3rd Place: Sean Carter for “Bull Lee Opens His Veins Toward the North”
Honorable Mentions:
Barbara Campbell for "Southern Snow"
Leslie Rupracht for "In Flight, Arizona to Utah"
Maureen Sherbondy for "Strand"

2009-2010 Award Winners
Contest Judge: Naomi Guttman
1st Place: Jenny Hubbard for "Under a Gingko"
2nd Place: Joan McLean for "This Could Be"
3rd Place: Suzanne Degni for “Perigee (March 1993): The Night of the Big Moon”
Honorable Mentions:
Tony Abbott for "Wild Old, Mad Old Man"
David Radavich for "True Story"
Barbara Campbell for "Crow, Not Crow"

2008-2009 Award Winners
Contest Judge: Alex Grant
1st Place: Richard Taylor for “The Essence of Art"
2nd Place: Maureen Sherbondy for "The Shoplifter"
3rd Place: Sue Dellinger for “The Lovers"
Honorable Mentions:
Elizabeth Swann for “Mama Can’t Scat”
Maureen Sherbondy for "How to Succeed in Sales” 
Sue Dellinger for "Dark Chocolate”

2007-2008 Award Winners
Contest Judge: Donna Earnhardt
1st Place: Katherine Barr  for "The Texas Snake Man Speaks"
2nd Place: Jessie Carty for "Elegy #2"
3rd Place: Elizabeth Swann for "Bread Crumbs"
Honorable Mentions:
Scott Douglas for "Shop Talk"
Andy Kalnik for "Gorilla Territory"
Bobbie Campbell for "And Then We Were One"

Judge: Susan Meyers

2005-2006 Award Winners
Contest Judge: Philip Memmer
1st Place: Gilda Morina Syverson for "Juggling"
2nd Place: Allison Elrod for "The Growing Season"
3rd Place: Blynn Field for "When Love Barely Lights the Way"
Honorable Mentions:
Genie Colter for "Heaven" 
Lynn Veach Sadler for "Resetting Dominoe" 
Richard Allen Taylor for "3"

2004-2005 Award Winners
1st Place: Maureen Sherbondy for "Sleeping Beauty in Old Age"
2nd Place: Lisa Zerkle for "How a Poet Wins Scrabble"
3rd Place: Jeannette Hinton Dorsey for "Before I Was"
Honorable Mentions:
Wendy H. Gill for "The Right Suit"
Lisa Zerkle for "Duck and Cover"
Lisa Zerkle for "A Daughter Declines Her Mother's Inheritance"

2003-2004 Award Winners
Contest Judge: Mary Ellen Marusa and Chuck Gregg
1st Place: Gail Peck for "The Moon No Longer Ful"
2nd Place: Cary Ellen Howie for "Mary Oliver's World"
3rd Place: Lynn Veach Sadler for "My Jewish Mother"
Honorable Mentions:
Sara Clayton for "Klaeidoscope: Long Road to Somewhere"
Betsy Humphreys for "Fishing For One Pearl"
Richard Band for "Sandbox"

Contest combined with Deane Ritch Lomax Poetry Prize to create the category Poetry Contest 2015/2016.

2014-2015 Award Winners
Contest Judge: Luke Whisnant
Winner: Nicole Zelniker from Guilford College for “Gift Shop Giveaway”
Honorable Mention for Louise Rockwell
Mara Price from Barton for “A Foreign Language”
Five Additional Honorable Mentions
Gabriella Baer from UNC-Wilmington for “All Nighter”
Ryan Kenneth Budd from UNC-Wilmington for “Honeysuckle Stings”
James Taylor Bryson from UNC-Wilmington for “Victory”
Jamika Watts from Appalachian for “Breaking Georgia”
Katie Gomulkiewicz from Davidson for “Tulips in the Oregon Rain”
 

2013-2014 Contest Winners:
Contest Judge: Catherine Carter
Winner: Jalynn Harris from UNC-Chapel Hill for “and because I have a father” 
Louise Rockwell Honorable Mention:
Elizabeth Purvis from Elon for “Eight Ball”          
Honorable Mentions:
Victoria Flanagan, UNC-Wilmington, “A Son’s Lament”
Annalee Kwochka,  Davidson, “Awful Day Party”           
Katie Gomulkiewicz, Davidson, “Gunshot Wounds”
Karen Bourne, UNC-Chapel Hill, “Kationary”   
Mallory Hawkins, UNC-Chapel Hill, “Lou”

2012-2013 Contest Winners:
Judge: Cathy Smith Bowers, former North Carolina Poet Laureate
Winner: Margaret Drummond from CPCC for "Swear It Was"
Louise Rockwell Honorable Mention: Rob Shapiro from Elon for "Slow Dance"
Other Honorable Mentions:
Michael Lawson from UNC-CH for "Snakes of Southeast Asia"
Joshua Orol from UNC-CH for "House, Gun, and Home"
Jacquelynn Berton from UNC-CH for "Spelling It Out"
Sarah Edwards from UNC-CH for "Warlords in the Moonbounce"
Christopher Sherfinski from Queens for "In the Church Kitchen"

2011-2012 Competition Winners
Contest Judge: Rebecca McClanahan
Grand prize winner:
"My Grandfather Dreams of Bats," by Michael Lawson, UNC Chapel Hill
Louise Rockwell Honorable Mention:
"Winter Fruit," by Hannah Riddle, UNC Chapel Hill
Runners Up (with poems in alphabetical order):
"For E.," by Sarah Huener, UNC Chapel Hill
"Logic of a Masochist," by Lizzie Davis, Catawba College
"Splitting Wood," by Caleb Agnew, UNC Chapel Hill
"The Work We Do," by Hannah Wright, Davidson College
"Unease," by Lina Patton, Elon College

2010 Competition Winners
Contest Judge: Barbara Presnell
Grand prize winner:
"The Autobiography of Hurt" by Meghan Palko, UNC-W
Runners up (with poems in alphabetical order):
"Carolina Poem" by Becky Whitten, Davidson College
"Human Cartography" by Emily McCrary, UNC-W
"Kitchen Renovations" by Rachel Kennedy, Catawba College
"Penelope" by Devon Weeks, Davidson College
"Pride of my Father" by Janeen Bradley, Queens University
"Scratchy Kisses" by Amanda Ottaway, Davidson College

2009 Competition Winners
Grand prize winner:
“At the Diner” by Caitlin McCann, UNC-Greensboro
Runners up (with poems in alphabetical order):
“An Elegy for the Liberal Arts Education of Jack Fennebresque, Esquire” by Alexander Binns Hoyt, Davidson College
“Spivey’s Corner” by Devon Weeks, Davidson College
“Take It Away” by Valerie Bright, UNC-Charlotte
“The Shaving of the Collaborators” by V. Janeen Bradley, Queens University of Charlotte
"Things Swallowed” by Natalie Kennedy, Davidson College
“Under the Sun” by Kiah McCoy, UNC-Wilmington

2008 Competition Winners
Grand prize winner:
"Thief" by Graham Younger, Davidson College 
Runners up (with poems in alphabetical order):
"Attn: Mr. Walt Disney" by Lauren Brown, Queens University of Charlotte 
"July" by Claire McElvaney, Meredith College
"Time Travel, or Today is My Past-Life's Yesterday" by Kali McCullough, Catawba College 
"When Meeting Your Ghost" by Lauren Alston Smith, Catawba College

2006 Grand Prize Winner:
"The First Run After" by Jacob Bathanti, Wake Forest University

2005 Grand Prize Winner:
"Grandfather's Hand" by Nneka Campbell, Catawba College

2004 Grand Prize Winner:
"109 Battle" by Heather Collins, Queens University

Contest combined with Elizabeth Simpson Smith Short Story Contest 2015/2016

2014-2015 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Linda Phillips
First Place: Paul Reali for 'The Alien"
Second Place: Randy Lee White for "Stealing Apples"
Third Place: Martha McKiever for "A Familiar Sparkle"

2013-2014 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge:

2012-2013 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Lisa Williams Kline
First Place: Joan Leotta
Second Place: Tamra Wilson
Third Place: Suzanne M Dengi

2011-2012 Children’s Story Winner
Contest Judge: Garret Freymann-Weyr
1st Place: Tamra Wilson for "December Bride"

2010-2011 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Helen H. Kimbrough
1st Place: Elizabeth Swann for "A Garden's Grace"
2nd Place: Bridgett Langson for "Bandit and the Bone"
3rd Place: Kimberly Condon for "Molly and Me"
Honorable Mention: David Lyon for "Chloe McSimmons Doesn’t Like Me"

2009-2010 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Gillian Summers
1st Place: Lori Norman for "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise"
2nd Place: Sue Friday for "Girl Lessons"
3rd Place: Tammy Wilson for "Brother Dirk"
Honorable Mentions:
Rebecca Shoniker for "Grandma's Rose Garden"
Cathy Mahaffey for "The Keepers"
Trent Roberts for "Tessa To the Very End"

2008-2009 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Samantha Bell
1st Place: Marnie Brooks for "Keisha's Aliens"
2nd Place: Eileen Hayes for "Rainbow Dreams"
3rd Place: Paula Woolf for "Seeing Things Differently"
Honorable Mentions:
Nancy Lammers for "Henrietta, The Wild Thanksgiving Turkey"
Paula Woolf for "Zambo"

2007-2008 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Ruth Moose
1st Place: Carol Staton for "Cecelia's Journey to the Sea"
2nd Place: Al Manning for "King Wilfred of Woppingsham"
3rd Place: Paula Wolff for "Earl the Pearl"
Honorable Mention:
R. Trentham Roberts for "The Helium Museleum"

2006-2007 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Margaret Shealy

2005-2006 Children's Story Winners
1st Prize: Nancy McGill for "Annie's Christmas, 1939"
2nd Prize: Sharon Massey for "A New Year"
3rd Prize: Emily Kern for "The Fox and the Seven Ducklings"
Honorable Mentions:
Sigrid S. Sacra for "The Extraordinary Butterfly"
Judith W. Aplin for "Rochester Proves Himself"

2004-2005 Children's Story Winners
1st Prize: Tammy Wilson for "Aunt Bett's Jewels"
2nd Prize: Grace W. Looper for "The Magic Circle"
3rd Prize: Sharon Massey for "Juggling Junior"

2003-2004 Children's Story Winners
Contest Judge: Gloria Hamilton
1st Prize: Carolyn Callison Murray for "Toasted"
2nd Prize: Sharon Massey for "The Misfits"
3rd Prize: Grace Looper for "Of Doodlebugs and Dandelions"
Honorable Mentions:
Betsy Humphreys for "The Rise and Fall of Bad Judy"
Resa Goldberg for "The Golf Green Thing"
Lynn Gorski for "The Other End of the Tunnel"

Contest Discontinued 2015

Formerly known as the Emerging Writers and Board prizes.  
 
2013-2014  Members Prize Winner
Fiction: Russ Case for "The Doctor".

2012-2013 Members Prize Winners