Recognizing the best stories, poems, essays, and art published in this paper in 2022 will be a highlight of the annual Cape Fear Voices/Teen Scene Awards Banquet on April 15 at the WWAY TV3 Event Center in Leland.

The 2022 Awards Nominating Committee consisted of six volunteers:

• Janet Stiegler (chair), CFV contributor and former government analyst
• Sherrod Sturrock, CFV contributor and former community college English teacher
• Charles Bins, CFV contributor and former journalist/PR manager
• Corey Dall, Director of Marketing at First Bank
• Laura Askue, English teacher and Journalism Club leader at BCECHS
• Leigh Ann Greeno, English teacher and Journalism Club leader at SBHS

The Nominating Process

Our team held three virtual meetings:  the first in September to establish our process, the second in November to develop a short list of articles, essays, poems, and art that merited consideration, and the third in December to consider pieces from the last issue and make our final selections.

Each team member independently reviewed the 12 issues from 2022 and anonymously sent in their top three-to-five favorites across the categories (four for CFV and five for Teen Scene). Anonymous submissions ensured we would not influence each other’s choices. Also, a team member could not select something he or she had written or something written by a family member.

When we reviewed the results together, those pieces with multiple votes automatically made the final list. Several team members made a compelling case for others they felt warranted consideration, and these were also included among the final nominations.

Picking the top stories in nine categories is no easy task. The number of contributors has increased, and the sophistication of writing has improved each year. We are particularly grateful to Laura Askue and Leigh Ann Greeno for taking time from their busy teaching schedules to help sift through the wealth of student essays, stories, and poetry.

One thing is clear:  the creation of Teen Scene and the start of journalism clubs in our local schools have done much to hone student writing and highlight the artistic talents of the next generation.

Award finalists will be selected from among the nominees by a separate panel of judges… And now (drumroll), see tbelow s for the final “Super Hero” award nominations for 2022.

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

Cape Fear Voices Nominations

Non-Fiction/History

• Pearl Harbor Series: Japanese Midget Subs & Daring Pilots by Frank T. Stritter, January pg. 5, and December pg. 1
• Tribute to Tenacity by David Hume III, March pg. 3
• The Passing of an Iconic Place (Willoughby’s) by Sheryl Keiper, September pg. 6
• Julie Moore: A Military Spouse Extraordinaire by Frank T. Stritter, October pg. 10
• Hummingbirds (Part III) by Nancy Bryans, November pg. 5

Memories/Personal Essay

• The Worth of Water by David Hume III, January pg. 6
• BFF in a Beanfield, by Maryann Nunnally, February pg. 3
• The Woman with the Beautiful Hands by Rosemary Parker, February pg. 3
• Folks I Met—My Fair Lady by Paul Paolicelli, September pg. 1
• A Reason to Believe, by Linda Merlino, December pg. 1

Creative Writing/Poetry

• The Cheesecake by Sheryl Keiper, February pg. 5
• One Continuous Mistake by Alan Sturrock, February pg. 13
• Thinking of Ukraine by Dan G. Neizmik, April pg. 8
• Friend and Wife by Stan Washington, July pg. 5
• A Lotto Hope… by Dan G. Neizmik, September pg. 9

Humor

• Bringing It Back by Stan Washington, January pg. 3
• We Adopted! by Charles Bins, March pg. 5
• Best Laid Plans by Karen Phillips Smith, April pg. 4
• The Chinese Laundry-Man by Maryann Nunnally, April pg. 6
• Sister Mary Judas Roars by Chuck Bins, December  pg.5

Teen Scene Nominations

Non-Fiction/Reportage

• Food Pantries: It All Started from a Dream & Serving the Community, by Margie Steve (11/ECHS),  February pg. 8 & March pg. 12
• Finding a Safe Place (LGBT Students) by Destiny Noblitt (10/WBHS), February pg. 9
• Digital Burn Book by Reyde Jones & Emely Olmedo (11/WBHS), March pg. 8
• The Future of Agriculture by Addison Justus (10/ECHS), May pg. 10
• Inspiration within the Horse by Charlie Sedbrook (8/Leland MS), July pg. 3

Fiction/Creative Writing

• The Crossroads by Lily Rae Bradley (7/Leland MS), March pg. 9
• Layer 50: Rising Tension & A New Threat by Dale Dyer (10/ECHS), March pg. 10 & April pg. 11
• Salsa Verde, by Anna Adams (12/ECHS), April pg. 10
• In Our Bedroom After the War by Kaleigh Aull (11/ECHS), July pg. 2
• Kenopisa by Rumi Bennett (10/ECHS), December pg. 10

 Reviews/Persuasive Essays

• Hollywood: You Give Love a Bad Name by Reyde Jones (11/WBHS), March pg. 8
• One Size Does Not Fit All by Arabella Ong (11/ECHS), March pg. 11
• Why Buy Local? by Campbell Cheers (10/WBHS), April pg. 13
• Betrayal is a Matter of Life and Death by Nathanial Brown (9/ECHS), May pg. 7
• “From Below” by Darcy Coates by Grace Cairnie (10/ECHS), October pg. 14
• The Problem with the School System by Josh McGinty (8/Cedar Grove MS) pg. 13

Poetry

• Missing You by Kieran Daniels (8/Leland MS), February pg. 10
• Window Shopping by Arwen Lyonesse (10/ECHS), March pg. 10
• I Had Friends by Aurora Bennett (9/ECHS), May pg. 9
• Nature’s Life by Lisa Mattingly (10/ECHS), June pg. 10
• The Last Star by Malia Flaverney (6/Leland MS), December pg. 12

Art

• Moth and Snail, by Samantha Becker (10/ECHS), January and April
• Son of a Dragon illustration, by Emeri Deppa (7/Myrtle Grove MS), May
• Project Sunflower by Olivia Williams (9/NBHS), July
• My Love of Art (multiple) by Rayna M. Chew (11/NBHS), October
• “Ghost Lover” and “Meeting Again” sketches by Adison Milligan (Grade 10/ECHS)
• Smaug and Legolas by Karleigh Karnes (12/SBHS), December
  Key:
  LMS        Leland Middle School
  MGMS     Myrtle Grove Middle School
  ECHS      Early College High School
  NBH        North Brunswick High School
  SBHS      South Brunswick High School
  WBHS     West Brunswick High School