Creativity and storytelling are paying off for several Star Valley High School students after multiple SVHS writers earned top honors at the 2025–26 Wyoming State Young Author Competition. A total of 20 students submitted original short stories, poetry collections, or graphic novels to the district competition, with entries due at the end of January 2026 and results announced March 3. Seven students ultimately earned awards at the state level.
Senior Taggart Ivie stood out by qualifying for state in both the short story and poetry categories. His short story, The Shatterchilde, a horror piece inspired by nightmares and built around themes of fear, paranoia, and loss of control, had been in development since early summer. “The Shatterchilde was a story I had in the works since the first few months of summer,” Ivie said.
Ivie, who went to place first at the state level for his short story, said, “I love horror, and I love profound and beautiful poetry, so I just aim to fill those categories.” Ivie said hearing the results brought a mix of emotions. “Receiving the news was like extreme joy and pure shock,” he said. “Getting first place was like a sign that I am on the right path in pursuing writing.” As he prepares to graduate and pursue writing beyond high school, Ivie offered advice to younger students: “Never believe that your story ideas are stupid. Write what you like and don’t focus on pleasing others.”
Junior Symantha Hepworth earned first place locally in the short story category after drawing inspiration from an unexpected source, a video she stumbled across online. “The lady was vaguely outlining what she would do if she was in a Hallmark movie, and I liked the idea it brought up,” Hepworth said. “I took her basic outline and adapted it.” Her story follows characters Matthew Smith, Annaliese Johnson, and Matthew’s young daughter Harper as they navigate grief and rediscover joy during the Christmas season. One challenge was staying within the competition’s 4,000-word limit. “You really want to add more description,” Hepworth said, “but you have to keep it to the important parts.” Despite placing first, Hepworth is modest about her chances at state: “Writing my story was a very last-minute thing because I procrastinated, so it doesn’t feel like it’ll make it — but who knows, maybe it’ll shock me.”
Sophomore Logan Tree also earned first place locally in short story with a piece of historical fiction based on the Battle of Belleau Wood, the fierce World War I clash between U.S. Marines and German forces. Rather than focusing on backstory, Tree centered the narrative on the emotions of a single character during the battle. “I wanted it to show the horrors that war can bring and not hide the brutality and loss that people experienced,” he said. Tree admitted he wasn’t expecting recognition. “I honestly didn’t think too much of the story after turning it in, so when I found out it placed first, I was genuinely surprised.”
Freshman Aniston Schwab also earned first place locally in the short story category, while sophomore Kyli Hoopes and freshman Morgan Cooper were both recognized for poetry. Cooper, who recently moved to Star Valley, said she entered simply to try writing a poem. “I felt shocked,” she said. “Being able to put emotions and thoughts into a poem and have people read and enjoy it is an amazing feeling.”
Senior Adelyn Christiansen received honorable mention on the state level for her graphic novel, Rock, Paper, Scissors, a children’s story using the familiar game characters to teach younger readers about inclusion and appreciating differences. “What inspired me was how much I value the people in my life,” Christiansen said. “Everyone brings something unique and special, and I wanted to show that everyone matters.” The win came as a surprise: “I never thought I would ever receive an award for writing,” she said. “You just have to trust the process, because a lot of times your ideas feel random at first, but with work they can turn into something meaningful.”
The participation and success of these writers reflects the depth of storytelling talent at SVHS.
