Welcome
The State of Maryland Literacy Association (SoMLA) sponsors an annual writing contest (poetry and short stories) for students in Grades 1 through 12. Each local SoMLA chapter hosts a local contest where the top winners in each of those grade-levels and categories are moved onto the state contest. Each local SoMLA chapter is encouraged to conduct a celebration for its local winners.
Individuals who place at the state level will receive a finalist postcard learning of their finalist status and will be invited to a state level award ceremony during the annual SoMLA conference. State-level winners will have their work compiled and electronically published in a digital anthology for student winners. |
LOCAL YA CONTEST CHAIRS
Chapter |
Contact Person(s) &
School |
Email |
Anne Arundel |
Sherrie Ugolini,
Windsor Farm Elementary AACPS Chair |
sugolini@aacps.org |
Baltimore City |
Hanna Scinta (Maree G. Faring Elementary School) School-based Contest Only |
HMScinta@bcps.k12.md.us |
Baltimore County |
Amanda Rampata |
arampata2@bcps.org |
Cecil County |
Chrissy Hilliker |
chilliker@ccps.org |
Eastern Shore (Somerset, Wicomico, Worcester) |
Emilee Holson, The
Salisbury School Brian Cook, Worcester County Public Schools |
emholson@thesalisburyschool.org membership@easternshoreliteracyassociation.com |
Frederick |
Kate Mills, Middletown High School HS Chair Frederick County; Secondary
Co-Chair Andrew Velnoskey -
Ballenger Creek Middle School MS Chair Frederick County; Secondary
Co-Chair Elementary Chair: TBD |
katherine.mills@fcps.org andrew.velnoskey@fcps.org |
Harford |
Cheryl Monk (Retired), Chair   Elementary and Middle Schools High School Chair: TBD |
cherylmonk308@gmail.com |
Howard |
Maria Moy, Elementary Chair Alison Rudo -
Middle School Chair (temp.) Shareen O;Neale - High
School Chair |
maria_moy@hcpss.org alison_k_rudo@hcpss.org Shareen_ONeale@hcpss.org |
Montgomery County (school-based contests only)
|
Tanie Shenk - Montgomery Virtual Academy Kelly Tanzi - Woods Academy (grade 6 only) |
Tania_L_Shenk@mcpsmd.org |
Queen Ann's County |
Kelley Sweiderk |
kelley.sweiderk@qacps.org |
Western Maryland (Garrett, Allegany) |
Erica Foley |
Erica.foley@garrettcountyschools.org |
Area who still need YA Chairs for 2023-2024
include: Cecil Mid-Shore (Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot), Prince George's County, Southern Maryland, Upper Shore, Washington.
If you are interested in chairing the Young Authors'Contest in one of these
areas, reach out to Brian Cook.