Newton County Schools (NCS) has announced the 2026 district-level winners of the Young Georgia Authors (YGA) Competition, celebrating student writing from across the district.

The Young Georgia Authors Competition is unique in that it does not provide a specific prompt or restrict students to a particular genre. Instead, students are encouraged to showcase their creativity and voice through original works of writing up to 1,900 words in length. Submissions may include short stories, poetry, essays, journalism pieces, academic research reports, personal narratives or other original compositions.

Entries are evaluated based on the strength of ideas, clarity and creativity of expression, effective language use, and the development of a distinctive voice. 

The 2026 Young Georgia Authors District Winners are [name, (school, grade), entry title]:

• Skai Browder (South Salem Elementary School, Kindergarten): “Snow Girl”
• Brooks Hawver (Mansfield Elementary, 1st grade): “Me and Ladd McConkey”
• Thomas Allen (Oak Hill Elementary, 2nd grade): “My Favorite Day with Sharks”
• Cora Jane Kelly (Flint Hill Elementary, 3rd grade): “The Book on the Shelf”
• Asher Bruno (Newton County STEAM Academy, 4th grade): “The Origins of Heroes”
• Kylee Tate (Oak Hill Elementary, 5th grade): “The House”
• Iris Okwuosa (Liberty Middle, 6th grade): “The Princess Who Lived Between the Stars”
• M’Kayla Solomon (Liberty Middle, 7th grade): “Elric’s Battle”
• Joy Pennie (Veterans Memorial Middle, 8th grade): “Curve”
• Londyn Weeks (Newton High, 9th grade): “The Flightless Black Bird”
• Madilyn Alyce Gray (Eastside High, 10th grade): “The Price of Living”
• Kyiana Andrews (Newton College & Career Academy, 11th grade): “Light, Dying”
• Delaney Rivers Curtis (Eastside High, 12th grade): “The House Appraiser”

Each district winner will now advance to the regional level of the Young Georgia Authors Competition, where their work will be considered alongside top entries from surrounding school districts.

“We are incredibly proud of our students for the originality, depth of thought, and creativity reflected in their writing,” said Dr. Ashante Everett, assistant superintendent for Teaching and Learning. “The Young Georgia Authors Competition provides students with an authentic opportunity to share their voices and perspectives. Strong writing is foundational to academic success and future career readiness, and these students have demonstrated both skill and courage in putting their ideas on paper. We look forward to cheering them on as they advance to the regional competition.”