Gordon County Schools is proud to congratulate Alicia Smith, a 7th grade student at Ashworth Middle School, for being named the 7th grade state winner in the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition.
Alicia’s powerful poem, “And I Began to Hate,” stood out among all submissions across Georgia. Her original work was selected as the 7th grade school winner at AMS, advanced as the district winner for Gordon County Schools, and continued on to win at the regional level for Northwest GA RESA—ultimately earning the top honor at the state level.
Alicia was congratulated today by Assistant Superintendent Sket Angland and Director of Early Learning and Elementary Education Beth Herod. The Ashworth Middle School administration team also celebrated this huge achievement with her. Thank you to Principal Danny Lowrance and Assistant Principals Rebekah Gilreath and Dr. Steffan Larson for supporting Alicia and her creative writing.
The purpose of the Young Georgia Authors (YGA) writing competition is to encourage students to develop enthusiasm for and expertise in their writing, to provide a context to celebrate their writing successes, and to recognize student achievement in arts and academics. Submissions are judged on ideas, organization, cohesiveness, and language.
Congratulations to Alicia on this outstanding achievement. Your written voice and creativity make us proud!