This year, MoPop and Jack Straw Cultural Center collaborated to provide winners of their annual Write Out of This World Writing Contest with a unique experience: Winners participated in a writing workshop, voice workshop, and recording session at Jack Straw, resulting in a professional recording of each writer reading their work. Every audio piece includes an excerpt of their story, plus a summary introduction which Jack Straw writer Jared Leising helped them write.

Listen to the story excerpts below, and click on the titles to read the stories.

3rd – 5th Grade Winners:

1st Place: “When The Needle Touches Your Skin” by Evelyn Bieniawski
2nd Place: “Carma and The Dragon” by Fiona Ayres
3rd Place: “If She Were Here” by Nadia Rose Tabbara

6th – 8th Grade Winners:

1st Place: “Faux Freedom” by Ehinowen Uwa
2nd Place: “Three Friends” by Tess Halpern
3rd Place: “The Execution of Katie Stirn” by Naomi Delavan

9th – 12th Grade Winners:

1st Place: “Watches” by Eleanor Cenname
2nd Place: “The Power of Friendship” by Daphne Land
3rd Place: “The Earth Fighter” by Eileen Miller

Jack Straw artist team included Jared Leising, writer; Meg McLynn and Alyssa Keene, vocal coaches; Daniel Guenther, engineer; Joan Rabinowitz, executive director.

Artists