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Pictured are students recognized for their writing achievements during the 2020 Demopolis City Schools Young Authors’ Showcase and Symposium. Two students from each grade are recognized. Also pictured seated to the far left is DCSS Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff and, to the far right, Demopolis City Schools Foundation Executive Director Amanda Barnes.

Paige Williams

Ben Smith

Leland Bice

Owen Ladnier

Chassity Hackworth

Ny'kylah Jones

Makailyn Taylor

Tryannady Aldridge

Sariah Smith

Piper Ann Roberts

The Demopolis City School System held its fifth annual Young Author’s Showcase and Symposium on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the Demopolis High School Auditorium and Gymnasium.

The event features two students from each grade, kindergarten through twelfth. This year, each student was interviewed about their writing and following showcased their work inside the gym.

Following are this year’s nominees.

Westside Elementary School: kindergarten, Leland Bice and Jay’Ceon Williams; first grade, Chassity Hackworth and Rhett Windham; and second grade, Owen Ladnier and Keaton Ray.

U.S. Jones Elementary School: third grade, Na’Kylah Jones and Sam Mayben; fourth grade, Tyson Bucurel and Levi Smelley; fifth grade, Paige Williams and Abigail Martinez.

Demopolis Middle School: sixth grade, Piper-Ann Roberts and Tyatiana Pritchett; seventh grade, Keegan Hammond and Trynnady Aldridge; eighth grade, Sarah Rankin and Charlie Grace Card.

Demopolis High School: ninth grade, Sariah Smith and Braydon Lathum; tenth grade, Nathan Sims and Alesha Taylor; eleventh grade, Matthew Howell and Ashlyn Heartsill; twelfth grade, Ben Smith and Makailyn Taylor.

DCSS Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff and Demopolis City Schools Foundation Executive Director Amanda Barnes served as interviewers.

The event was sponsored by DCSS, the Demopolis Parent/Teacher Association and Synergetics DCS, Inc.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, February 19 issue of the Demopolis Times.)