Budding Southern Arizona artists and authors will be recognized Saturday, March 9, as the winners of the Tucson Festival of Books’ Young Artists and Authors competitions.
Winners will receive $100 gift certificates sponsored by Altrusa International of Tucson and Friends of Western Art. The awards will be presented at 10 a.m. on the main entertainment stage near the Student Union on the UA campus.
Young artists
The winners in the kindergarten through second-grade category are:
Adesina Barnett, first grade, Van Buskirk Elementary
Banyan Bradley, second grade, St. Michael’s School
Athena Doles, second grade, Huachuca City School
Katerina Honkonen, second grade, St. Michael’s School
Malachi Kurth, second grade, St. Michael’s School
Micah Sapochetti, first grade, Borton Elementary
For grades third through fifth, the winners are:
Ephram Chang, fourth grade, St. Michael’s School
Ezra Chang, fifth grade, St. Michael’s School
Chloe Chee, fifth grade, Basis Oro Valley Primary
Ava Grace Erlacher, third grade, Canyon View Elementary
Katherine Kim, fourth grade, Basis Oro Valley Primary
Brandon Ruiz, fifth grade, Marshall Elementary
Grades sixth through eighth winners are:
Rita Cai, seventh grade, Basis Tucson North
Isaiah Carter, seventh grade, Civano Community School
Audrina Gallegos, eighth grade, Gallego Intermediate
Hannah Jo, sixth grade, Basis Oro Valley
Bryndle Thayer, seventh grade, Civano Community School
Caroline Wang, sixth grade, Orange Grove Middle School
At the high school level, the winners are:
Josephine Burnside, ninth grade, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy
Xander Franco, 10th grade, Academy of Tucson
Ellen Kim, ninth grade, Catalina Foothills High
Emma Kokes, ninth grade, Tanque Verde High
Emma Newsham 10th grade, Academy of Tucson
Issabella Marti, ninth grade, Desert View High School
Young authors
The winners of the writing contest are:
Yunde Chan, first grade, homeschool
Kah’miaa Wright, first grade, Bonillas Traditional Magnet
Gabriel Vargas, second grade, John E. White Elementary
Kyla Rey Trujillo, second grade, Tully Magnet Elementary
Lily Polk, third grade, homeschool
Zayveon Arellano Thrasher, fourth grade, Cavett Elementary
Elizabeth Gonzales, fourth grade, Ironwood Elementary
Yunming Chan, fourth grade, Basis Tucson Primary
Willow LaFontain, fifth grade, Montessori Schoolhouse
Nia Stout, sixth grade, Basis Tucson North
Samantha Stahlman, sixth grade, Safford K-8
Ellie Andreasen, seventh grade, Emily Gray Junior High
Rita Cai, seventh grade, Basis Tucson North
Diya Mukesh, seventh grade, Basis Tucson North
Maddie Glickenstein, seventh grade, Emily Gray Junior High
Hannah Renner, eighth grade, homeschool
Anna Grace Requadt, eighth grade, Faith Christian Academy
Emery Rhodes, ninth grade, Tanque Verde High
Alyssa Lemire, ninth grade, Andrada Polytechnic High
Imelda Osborne, 11th grade, Osborne Catholic Homeschool Academy
Elinore Young, 12th grade, Desert View High School
