2020-2021 Maine Sportsman Youth Writing Contest
The Maine Sportsman’s 2020-2021 Youth Writing Contest is in the books, and our panel of judges was extremely impressed with the submissions.
The rules were kept simple by design, to encourage creativity on the part of the youth writers – a 500-word maximum on topics of interest to our readers.
We offered three categories – Maine Junior (grades 6-8); Maine Senior (grades 9-12); and New England. Our winners have each won themselves $100.
Several of the entries will be printed in our pages in future issues (see our Maine senior winners’ entries – we had a tie! – printed on the following two pages), and in the coming weeks, all winning entries will be posted on our website, www.MaineSportsman.com/YouthWritingContest.
Congratulations to all contestants! Here are the top Maine and New England youth writings for 2020-2021:
Senior Category – Maine (Grades 9 – 12)
First Place (Tie):
Michael Maines, 10th Grade, Gray-New Gloucester High School; “Judy the Shed Dog” – Click here to read
Carly Turgeon, 10th Grade, Sanford High School; “Why I Like Wakesurfing” – Click here to read
Second Place:
Riley King, 12th Grade, Ellsworth High School; “The Backwoods” – Click here to read
Honorable Mentions:
Evelyn Dearborn, 11th Grade, Maranacook Community High School; “Paddling Reminisce” – Click here to read
William Maines, 12th Grade, Gray-New Gloucester High School; “Give it a Try – Shed Hunting!” – Click here to read
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Special Recognition – Senior
Best story about catching a lunker smallmouth on an ultralight rig: Sam Young, 10th Grade, Mt. Ararat; “Small Rod; Big Bass” – Click here to read
Best story about hunting by someone who doesn’t hunt: Ms. Emerson Walston, 11th Grade, Orono; “City Girl Admires Maine’s Heritage Sports” – Click here to read
Best story about fishing by an angler who later realized she doesn’t like the taste of fish: Eliza Lowell, 9th Grade, Massabesic High School; “Facile Fishing” – Click here to read
Best story titled “Let’s Go Fishing” that’s really about an incredible game of “Capture the Flag”: David Curtis, 9th Grade, Massabesic High School; “Let’s Go Fishing” – Click here to read
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New England Category
First Place:
Spencer Belson, 9th Grade, Andover High School, Andover Massachusetts; “Through the Tough Times” – Click here to read
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Junior Category – Maine (Grades 6 – 8)
First Place (Tie):
Gabe Torberg, 6th Grade, Massabesic Middle School; “Fishing with My Grampy and His Friend John” – Click here to read
Colby Sughrue, 7th Grade, Thornton Academy Middle School; “The Nine-Point Buck” – Click here to read
Honorable Mentions:
Cole Mattson, 7th Grade, Dedham School; “Boat Troubles” – Click here to read
William McDonnell, 7th Grade, Molly Ockett Middle School (Fryeburg); “200 Pounds of Beginner’s Luck” – Click here to read
Brielle Densmore, 6th Grade, Massabesic Middle School; “My First Time Paddle Boarding” – Click here to read
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Special Recognition – Junior
Best boating navigation story ever that reinforces the adage: “If you are going to be ahead of everyone else, you’d better know where you are going”: Zack Torberg, 8th Grade, Massabesic Middle School; “Adventures in Kayaking” – Click here to read
Best story about fried squirrel that the author says “tastes like chicken”: William Hickey, age 12, home-schooled, Scarborough; “Never Give Up” – Click here to read
Best story about fresh fried trout that the author also says “tasted like chicken”: Arlan Cooper Smith, 6th Grade, Massabesic Middle School; “The River with No Name” – Click here to read
Best story that proves you don’t need to actually catch a fish to have a great day fishing: Hunter Vivian, 7th Grade, Massabesic Middle School; “A Day at Bunganut Lake, Lyman Maine” – Click here to read
Most optimistic quote from a confident young angler who has just cast his line into some prime fishing waters (“I can smell victory!”): Connor Remillard, 6th Grade, Massabesic Middle School; “The Excitement of the Sinking Fishing Bobber” – Click here to read
Best description of why the best antidote to boring online Zoom classwork is squirrel hunting during your noon lunch hour (as well as one of the best headlines): Luke Boissonneault, 6th Grade, Massabesic Middle School; “The Loud and Annoying Animals of the Woods” – Click here to read
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Thank you to all of our youth writers, and congratulations to all winners!
