In a ceremony during its 2014 Writing Conference, at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, West Virginia Writers, Inc. announced the winners of its 2014 annual writing contests. A total of $5,850 in prize money was awarded.

Locally there were several winners including one first prize to a Shephersdstown student. Taking first place in the New Mountain Voices Student Contest was Roula Hammer, seventh grader, for her entry, “The Perfect Sibling.”

Also placing from Jefferson County was Catherine Byrne, of Harpers Ferry, who won Honorobale Mention in Children’s Book for “Maggie Knows” and a second place for “Telling Vision in the Emerging Writer’s Poetry category. Tom Donlon, of Shenandoah Junction, placed three times in the competition. His first award was a third place for “October Hike with Copperhead:” in the Long Poetry division. He also won third for “Junk Drawers” in the Short Poetry and an Honorable Mention for “Mia Rose at Four” in the same category.

Two elementary students from Jefferson County were winners. Sofija Lotze, grade 4, from Kearneysville, earned a third place in the New Mountain Voices Student contest for Elementary School with “The Time Traveling Sisters” and Sophia Bonner, of Charles Town, grade 1, earned an Honorable Mention for “Pap Pap.”

West Virginia Writers, Inc. gives cash prizes of $250, for first place; $125 for second, and $75 for third in its adult writing contest, and $100, $50 and $25 respectively for first, second and third in its free New Mountain Voices Student Writing contest. For 2014, there were 562 entries in 13 categories for the adult contest and 270 entries in the New Mountain Voices contest.

Winners, including honorable mentions, will receive certificates and ribbons suitable for framing.