On April 12, four student writers, all from Mary Star of thernSea High School in San Pedro, were honored at the Cabrini Literary Guild’srnannual Creative Writing Awards luncheon.
The students were asked to answer the question: “The Billrnand Melinda Gates Foundation hires you as a consultant to determine how best tornuse $20 billion to save the world. What is your plan?”
Guild president Marie Urrutia welcomed the winners and theirrnguests to the Oakmont Country Club, and moderator Father Norman Supancheck gavernthe opening prayer and blessings.
Diane Dixon, Emmy nominee and novelist, was the keynoternspeaker. Dixon received the Humanitas prize for outstanding accomplishment inrnwriting for television. She drew on her own experiences, and urged students torn“tell us the truth. Write with humility,” and to “go forth and heal the world.rnWe are counting on you.”
Grant Smith, 18, won the $1,000 first place prize, with arnplan to lower crime rates and boost disaster-relief efforts.
Matthew Morreale, 15, was awarded $750, in second place. Hisrnessay, “20 Billion Dollars for a Better Tomorrow,” outlined a plan to providernclean water to third world countries.
Third place went to Everett Courtois, 18, who took home $500rnfor his essay entitled “Children of Babel: A Proposal to adopt Esperanto as arnUniversal Language.” Esperanto is based on roots from European languages, andrnhas an estimated 2 million speakers.
Fourth-place winner, Jacqueline Gettys, 18, wroternabout her plan to use the $20 billion for cancer research. Her award was $350.
All four students were taught by Carson resident MonicarnAguilar.
