L’Observateur / March 15, 2000

Destrehan’s finest authors gathered in the English workroom to celebrate their literary accomplishments Feb. 11.Teacher Angela Lange and the literary magazine staff put on the event and served king cake and breakfast donated by Burger King.

Students who were invited to the breakfast either won in the Young Authors contest of had been published through their English or creative writing clases this year.

The guest speaker was Scott Durbin, a teacher at Norco Elementary. Heteaches children from fourth to sixth grade. He said, “I find it fascinatingto work with young people and to read the language they use.” Durbin gavea talk entitled “the Blarney and the Wizardry of Words.” He urged studentsto play with words and extend their minds to new creative heights.

Students listened to music and read poems by Shel Silverstein, Lewis Caroll and Wallace Stevens. Then, Durbin distributed a playing card from adeck of 52 to each participant and urged them to write about it and lookd at it from a new perspective.

Students invited to the breakfast were Kaston Anderson, Cherie Aucoin, Laura Aucoin, Paige Armentor, Kamil Bailey, Laurie Barreca, Kimberly Beatty, Melody Benedic, Jenny Bergeron, Beth Blaney, Ebony bolden, Joshua Bonstaff, Julie Burke, Alexis Captain, Josh Chiasson, Tiffany Christennsen, Melissa Clute, Vance Core, Jennifer Doty, Kevin Duhe, Christina Dozier, Sam Ebeyer, Jacqueline Frois, Adam Graff, Rachel Harris, Kelly Huber, Kristen Hulsey, Jeramiah Jeansonne, Jacobs Jordan, Sterling Lane, Jessica Leblanc, Jessica Lovelady, Michael Lowery, Ashley Magee, Emily Meaden, Sean McCloskey, Christie Mills, Jonathan Mitchell, Ashley Nelson, Christopher Ong, Ryan Pepper, Jinny Peters, Jonathan Pierce, Ronnie Schumann, Linsey Stewart, Nick Waguespack, Rachel Walsh and Jen Westmoreland.

When asked about the success of the authors’ breakfast Lange enthusiastically stated, “My biggest impression was that I was overwhelmed by the number of published writers we have and how quickly they created wonderful poems today.”Students at Destrehan High School who have had their works featured in various publications are Jinny Peters, in “A Celebration of Southern Young Poets;” Christie Mills, an insect poem in “Pesky Poems;” Kelly Huber, “Our Pledge Unfinished” in “Speak Up;” Ashley Nelson, in “Speak Up;” Paige Armentor, “The Rain” in “The Prowl;” Jessica LeBlanc, “The Untrue Friend” in “America at the Millennium, the Best Poems and Poets of the 20th Century;” Erin Cesta, Jen Westmoreland, Jennifer Doty and Rachel Harris in “21st Century.”Young Authors winners at Desthrehan High School are: Non-fiction: Freshmen and sophomores: First place, Jessica Lovelady; second place, Jonathan Mitchel; third place, Jacqueline Foise; and honorable mention, ashley Magee.

Juniors and seniors: First place, Rachel Walsh; second place, Michelle Lucas; third place, Christina Dozier; and honorable mention, Kevin Duhe.

Fiction: Freshmen and sophomores: First place, Christopher Ong; and second place, Beth Blaney.

Juniors and seniors: First place, Sean McCloskey; second place, Joshua Bonstaff; third place, Jessica LeBlanc; and honorable mention, Ryan Pepper.

Poetry: Freshmen and sophomores: First place, Adam Graff; second place, Kimberly Beatty; third place, Ronnie Schumann; and honorable mention, Tiffany Christiansen.

Juniors and seniors: First place, Sammy Ebeyer; second place, Michelle Lucas; third place, Laurie Barreca; and honorable mention, Rachel Harris.

Copyright © #Thisyear# Wick Communications, Inc.Best viewed with 4.0 or higher