Park Place Christian Academy (PPCA) recently awarded eighteen students in 4th-12th grades who earned the top places in the school’s first-ever Creative Writing contest.
Held in conjunction with a state-wide contest offered by the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools (MAIS), PPCA offered its students the opportunity to create a story based on criteria developed by MAIS.
The stories had to be hand-written, using 250 words or less, and creatively expressed this year’s theme of “Behind the Door.”
PPCA’s 4th-6th grade Language Arts teachers and 7th-12th grade English teachers gave students the option to participate or made it mandatory as part of a graded assignment.
Of the three divisions, I: Elementary (4th-5th grades), II: Middle School (6th-8th grades), and III: Secondary (9th-12th grades), there were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for the grades that participated.
An Overall winner of each Division was selected by a panel of seven socially distanced judges who worked independently to determine whose creative story would advance to the MAIS state-level contest.
PPCA’s 2020-2021 Division I grade level Creative Writing contest winners are: Anna Brantley, first place, 4th grade; Ava Kate Thurman, first place; 5th grade, Evie Fitzgerald, second place 5th grade; and Tyler Hester, third place, 5th grade.
The Division I Overall winner is 5th grader Ava Kate Thurman.
PPCA’s 2020-2021 Division II grade level Creative Writing contest winners are: Allison Vincent, first place, 6th grade; Kendall Goldberg, second place, 6th grade; Layla Collado, third place, 6th grade; and Olivia Cook, first place, 7th grade.
The Division II Overall winner is 6th grader Allison Vincent.
PPCA’s 2020-2021 Division III grade level Creative Writing contest winners are: Sarah-Kathryn Ray, first place, 9th grade; Ethan Watkins, first place, 10th grade; Kara Taylor, second place, 10th grade; Caleb Arney, third place, 10th grade; Eva Jones, first place 11th grade; Presley Gordon, second place, 11th grade; Holton Haney, third place, 11th grade; Jonah Neeley, first place, 12th grade; Jedd Gregory, second place, 12th grade; and Brooke Steen, third place, 12th grade.
The Division III Overall winner is senior Jonah Neeley.
Every student who earned a first, second, or third place position was presented with a gold, silver, or bronze medal and a certificate. The three Division winners received a special maroon and gold ribbon.
The school’s Creative Writing contest was sponsored by PPCA’s librarian, Mrs. Lori Clendinning and supported by the three principals, Mrs. Cindy Goodwin, elementary; Mr. Bobby Barrett, middle school; and Mr. Stacey Sykes, secondary.
For more information about PPCA, please contact the school’s Director of Admission, Mrs. Andi Cruthirds, via email, ac********@go****.com, or by calling during regular school hours, 601-939-6229, ext. 213, or by visiting the school’s website, www.goppca.com.
PPCA is a ministry of Park Place Baptist Church in Pearl, Miss., where Dr. Keith Grubbs is the Senior Pastor and Mr. Jason Cook is the Head of School
ELEMENTARY and MIDDLE SCHOOL CREATIVE WRITING WINNERS
Park Place Christian Academy recently recognized eight students as Elementary and Middle School Creative Writing Contest winners. Seated front row, left to right: Tyler Hester, 4th grade Third Place; Ava Kate Thurman, 5th grade First Place and Division I Overall; Evie Fitzgerald, 4th grade Second Place; and Anna Brantley Stegall, 3rd grade First Place. Standing back row, left to right: Allison Vincent, 6th grade First Place and Division II Overall; Kendall Goldberg, 6th grade, Second Place; Layla Collado, 6th grade, Third Place; and Olivia Cook, 7th grade, First Place.
SECONDARY CREATIVE WRITING WINNERS
Park Place Christian Academy recently awarded ten students for their Creative Writing. Pictured front row, standing left to right: Brooke Steen, 12th grade, Third Place; Jonah Neeley, 12th grade, First Place and Division III Overall Winner; and Jedd Gregory, 12th grade, Second Place. Back row, standing left to right: Sarah-Kathryn Ray, 9th grade First Place; Eva Jones, 11th grade, First Place; Kara Taylor, 10th grade Second Place; Presley Gordon, 11th grade Second Place; Ethan Watkins, 10th grade First Place; Holton Haney, 11th grade, Third Place; and Caleb Arney, 10th grade, Third Place.
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