Worcester Prep 2025 Young Authors Finalists

In the front row are the Lower School finalists for this year’s ELSA Young Authors Contest: Nicole Sebastian, Freddy Hertrich, and Charlize Damouni. In the second row from the left, the Middle School finalists include Anna French, Lillian Ha, Lea Jaoude, Sophia Nguyen, and Paige Rohloff. In the back row, the Upper School finalists are Catherine Cullen, Jake Timmons, Nora Gorfinkel, and Sydney Parker. (Worcester Prep)

BERLIN, Md. - The Eastern Shore Literacy Association has announced that 12 Worcester Prep students were named finalists in their Young Authors contest. The contest includes categories for both short stories and poetry. 

Dr. Brian Cook, the Chair of the ESLA Young Authors’ Contest, says that there were over 400 submissions to the contest this year across 19 participating schools, from private, public, and homeschools.

ESLA says the finalists are listed by rank and grade and are as follows:

  • Grade 2, Poetry – 3rd Place: Nicole Sebastian
  • Grade 2, Short Story – 2nd Place: Nicole Sebastian
  • Grade 5, Short Story – 3rd Place (tie): Freddy Hertrich
  • Grade 5, Poetry – 1st Place: Charlize Damouni
  • Grade 7, Poetry – 1st Place: Lea Jaoude
  • Grade 7, Short Story – 1st Place: Paige Rohloff
  • Grade 7, Short Story – 2nd Place: Lillian Ha
  • Grade 7, Short Story – 3rd Place: Anna French
  • Grade 8, Short Story – 3rd Place (tie): Sophia Nguyen
  • Grade 9, Poetry – 3rd Place (tie): Nora Gorfinkel
  • Grade 10, Poetry – 3rd Place (tie): Sydney Parker
  • Grade 11, Short Story – 2nd Place: Jake Timmons
  • Grade 11, Short Story – 3rd Place: Catherine Cullen

ESLA, which serves Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties, is affiliated with the State of Maryland Literacy Association, a literacy organization in Maryland, which has over 1,500 members across 17 active chapters.