Pittsburgh, PA  –  Wednesday, September 4, 2024  – 

More than 300 young writers, visual artists, musicians, filmmakers and inventors in Allegheny County vied for top honors in Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s 2024 Ralph Munn Creative Writing and Teen Media Awards. The teens were recognized for their creative content at a reception during the Library’s end-of-summer Extravaganza. Winning entries in poetry, prose and works of art are on display at the Main Library in Oakland (4400 Forbes Avenue) through September 2024.

“The sheer talent showcased in this year’s entries is truly inspiring,” said Simon Rafferty, Library Services Supervisor – STEAM Learning, “We are so grateful that these brave young artists chose to share their work with us.” And Kizuwanda Raines, also of STEAM Learning, praised this year’s entries saying “I feel like I am the entrants’ number one fan! I processed each submission, so I read every blurb, admired each art, read all the written entries, watched every film, and listened to all the music. I was so stoked to meet some of the entrants at the Reception during Extravaganza. These teens are so inspiring and have motivated me to try my hand at something!”

First place winners in each of the following categories received $250 and second place winners received $100.

2024 Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest Winners
Open to high school students who live or attend school in Allegheny County (grades 9 – 12)

All “entries of quality” are published in an anthology, which is distributed to all public libraries in Allegheny County, as well as to the schools whose students are published in the book. This year, 43 teens had their poetry and prose published in the anthology and each published teen will receive a copy.

Judging the Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest were local authors Gaia Rajan and Kit Frick.

Poetry judge, Gaia Rajan
Gaia Rajan is the author of the chapbooks Moth Funerals (Glass Poetry Press 2020) and Killing It (Black Lawrence Press 2022). Their work is published or forthcoming in Best New Poets, the Best of the Net anthology, The Kenyon Review, THRUSH, Split Lip Magazine, and elsewhere. They are a Kettle Pond Writers fellow, Copper Canyon Press intern, and reader for Poetry Northwest.

Short Prose judge, Kit Frick
Kit Frick is a MacDowell fellow and ITW Thriller Award finalist. She is the author of multiple thrillers including, for young adults, Before We Were Sorry (originally published as See All the Stars), All Eyes on Us, I Killed Zoe Spanos, Very Bad People, and The Reunion, and for adults, The Split. She is also the author of the poetry collection A Small Rising Up in the Lungs.

Poetry

1^st place: “The War Factory” by Luke DeMaria, West Allegheny High School, Grade 12
2^nd Place: “When I Grow Up” by Linda Kong, North Allegheny Senior High School, Grade 11

 

Short Prose 

1^st place: “My Halmoni’s Miyeok-Guk: The Language of Love” by Hyunsoo Kim, Winchester Thurston High School, Grade 9
2^nd Place: “E Jomi Tomar O Amar (The Land is Yours and Mines)” by Hritika Basu, Pittsburgh SciTech, Grade 9

 

2024 Teen Media Awards Winners
Open to all students who live or attend school in Allegheny County grades 6 – 12.

A panel of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh staff judged this year’s Teen Media Awards. All winners and honorable mentions will be showcased on CLP’s social media.

Ralph Munn Cover Art Design for 2025 Anthology

“Neighboring Nostalgia” by Riya Verma, Mt. Lebanon High School, Grade 12

 

Short Film

1^st place: “Caméraman” by Lamar Abushaban, Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy,
Grade 11

2^nd place: “The Hill District – A History” by Akshay Lath and Rodrigo Silva, Fox Chapel Area High School, Grade 10

Honorable Mention:

• Liam Park, Upper St. Clair High School, Grade 11

 

Music 

1^st place: “I love my family song” by Davine Dixon, Pittsburgh Carrick High School, Grade 9

2^nd place: “8 minutes of Torture (for audience and string quartet)” by Rocco Tobul, Pittsburgh
CAPA, Grade 11

Honorable Mention:

• Cameron Suzensky, Obama Academy, Grade 12

 

Photography

1^st place: “Reflected Elegance” by Rohan Khera, Shady Side Academy, Grade 11

2^nd Place: “Finale” by Quincy Sauter, Winchester Thurston High School, Grade 10

Honorable Mention:

• Jacob Kaltz, Chartiers Valley High School, Grade 11
• Nina Cranor, Pittsburgh SciTech, Grade 12

3D Art

1^st place: “Cardboard Boxes” by Mia Dzurenda, Serra Catholic High School, Grade 10

2^nd place: “Monotony” by Gudrun Jaeger, Pittsburgh CAPA, Grade 10

Honorable Mention:

• Mackenzie Fotovich, Chartiers Valley High School, Grade 12
• Leila Barber, Pittsburgh CAPA, Grade 9

 

2D Art

1st place: “Dreamscape” by Vanessa Ovesney, Bethel Park High School Grade 12
2^nd place: “Eye of the Storm” by Alice Bussler, Winchester Thurston High School, Grade 9

Honorable Mention:

• Riya Verma, Mt. Lebanon High School, Grade 12
• Naomi Davis, Pittsburgh CAPA, Grade 11

 

Fashion

1^st place: “Wedding Gown” by Sidney Rice, North Allegheny High School, Grade 9

2^nd Place: “modern Korean Hanbok” by Ellie Choi, Pittsburgh CAPA, Grade 11

Honorable Mention:

• Honesty Holyfield, Dickson Preparatory STEAM Academy, Grade 7
• Angie Dottavio, West Allegheny High School, Grade 11

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