2016 Sower & Harvest Short Story Prizes
The competition was open to current homeschool students. Prizes were awarded to all winners.
A Note From the Founder
It’s been a rewarding experience to see our inaugural contest take flight! I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the homeschoolers who participated: this contest was a victory because of you.
We’ve been asked how we came up with the moniker for our contest and it is quite simple to answer. Every entry that arrived in our inbox was a harvest in its own right. Much had to be imagined, learned, articulated and expressed and then revised. It’s difficult to see these short stories as anything other than a bountiful harvest. As a homeschooling father of three children, I understand the effort it takes in sowing seeds of character, faith, morality, and creativity into the hearts of children. Thus, we acknowledge the parents or guardians who labored every day in the homeschool by planting valuable instruction into the minds and hearts of the writers who participated. Considering this, it only seemed appropriate to inaugurate our contest by naming it the Sower and Harvest Short Story Prizes. Parents are the sowers. The writing from their children is the harvest.
We’re so thankful to God for these talented writers! And we’re grateful to all who entered and made this first year an amazing contest!
Plans are in the works for next year’s contest and we’d love to hear any suggestions you may have to offer. We hope you sign-up for our newsletter to receive updates and other significant announcements.
We’re ever thankful to God for all our contest participants. Enjoy this harvest of winning stories and please continue to plant throughout the year!
Carlos G. Ortega
Founder, Burning Bush Press
Announcing our Winners!
Level A (3rd- 4th grade)
Hard Times
by Juliana McIrvin | First Place
Two Women and a War
by Vincent Lorelle | Second Place
The Faith of One Family
by Caleb Oppelt | Third Place
Level B (5th- 6th grade)
All Things Work Together
by Rebekah Taepke | First Place
The Long Journey
by Kaleigh Garrett | Second Place
The Crossing of the Aliákmon
by Suzie Wilson | Third Place
Level C (7th- 8th grade)
Lonely
by Bethany J. Boone | First Place
The Transformation of Gus Bancroft
by Claire Spencer | Second Place
Back When It Was Today
by Amie Rehmann | Third Place
Honorable Mentions
Back to Family by Charis Anne Guilford
Commitment by Amelia Metcalfe
Lily’s Heartbreak by Grace Larsen
The Boy, the Knight, and the Grappling Hook by John B. Jensen
From Ireland to America by Catherine Lorelle
Where’s the Package by Grant Goulart
Wings by Ellie Wilson
Secrets and Treasures by Evan Oppelt
The Mission by Mckenzie Harms
Wildest Dreams by Keona Lau
My Adventure by Camille Haman
The Unexpected Tag Along by Brooke Cox
Act of Kindness by Esther Zhang
Me, A Witness? by Paige Peterman
No Longer a Stranger by Sydney Lee
Special Thanks To Our Generous Sponsors
