2026 Scholarship Winners
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Poetry
NWS Robert and Marcy Branski Poetry Scholarship
1st place
Teacup
Syldee Brozofsky
Frankfort Highschool
Junior
Syldee Brozofsky is a junior at Frankfort high school. She is a member of the National Honor Society, as well as Frankfort softball and wrestling.
2nd place
Bad Buddhist
Alisha McMillan
Interlochen Arts Academy
Senior
Alisha McMillan is a senior studying creative writing at Interlochen Arts Academy. Next year, she’ll be studying Pre-Veterinary studies at Michigan State University. You can find her work in the Red Wheelbarrow, Half and One, and Exposures. Her work has been recognized by committees such as Scholastics Arts and Writing Awards. When she’s not writing, you can find her in a coffee shop or on walks along the shore of Lake Michigan.
Poetry- honorable mention
Widow of the Pecos (B Minor)
Elijah Wynn
Traverse City West Senior High
Junior
Elijah Wynn is a junior at Traverse City West Senior High School. Motivated in design, social sciences, history and geography, he seeks to write in ways that reflect the peoples and places of the continent he's lived across.
Journalism
Judith Lang Journalism Scholarship
1st place
We Need to Talk About the Lack of Eating Disorder Treatment Up North
Tess Tarchak-Hiss
Traverse City West Senior High School
Senior
Tess Tarchak-Hiss is a senior at Traverse City West Senior High. She explores the world around her by watching borderline unbearable amounts of Curb Your Enthusiasm and dropping serious bank on clothes at Penny Lane. She plans on pursuing her passion of writing at Scripps College in California's Claremont Consortium, where she will major in English and being awesome.
2nd place
From Leelanau to Guatemala City – The power of community, education, and growth
Meridian Parsons
Leland Public School
Junior
Meridian Parsons is a junior at Leland Public School. She sees writing as a way to bring attention to those most deserving of it, prioritizing the stories and the people that need it the most. After graduation she plans on attending college, and while she is currently undecided and looks forward to exploring her interests in global affairs and astronomy.
Nonfiction
Leslie Lee Nonfiction Scholarship
1st place
Boys Will be Boys*
Jack Hennessy
Interlochen Arts Academy
Junior
Jack Hennessy is a junior at Interlochen Arts Academy. He plans to study creative writing in college and pursue a career in writing— in novel writing, screenwriting, or some kind of humor writing. He is also interested in a career in more opinion-orientated political journalism.
2nd place
The night 6 years ago
Ava Hickman
Traverse City West High School
Senior
Ava Hickman is a senior at Traverse City West High school. She is attending Michigan State University in the fall for a major in early education. She is a varsity rower and loves writing, coaching basketball, and spending time with her family and friends.
Fiction
William Montgomery Fiction Scholarship
1st place
L’Empire de la Mort
Damon Hoadley
Elk Rapids High School
Junior
Damon Hoadley is a Junior at Elk Rapids High School and is a 1st year student at Career Tech's Writers Studio program. He enjoys acting, singing, and helping those who need it. His hobbies include playing video games, drawing, and writing. He dreams of doing special effects in movies and writing for said movies.
2nd place
Riven Excerpt
Ainsley Chellis
Ellsworth Community School
Senior
Ainsley Chellis is a senior at Ellsworth High School. After she graduates, she plans to attend Northwestern Michigan College to study culinary arts. She likes to read, write, and crochet, and values creativity and bringing joy to others through her cooking and crafts.