We are thrilled to announce the winners and runners-up of our 2022 One Teen Story Teen Writing Contest! We received over 400 entries from teen writers across the globe, and narrowing it down was no easy feat. Each winner will receive $500 and publication in a forthcoming issue of One Teen Story.
Ages 13 – 15
Winner: “Leftovers” by Zach Miano
“It’s the one day of the week where our entire community seems to forget about life for a while. It reminds everyone of back home. Yesterday we went, but without Papá, it wasn’t the same. Nobody said anything, but I know they all missed him too.”— “Leftovers” by Zach Miano
Zach Miano currently lives in Barcelona, Spain, where he is a sophomore in high school and attends a tennis academy. Born in Rome, Italy, to an American mother and an Italian father, Zach speaks four languages fluently and he often incorporates them into his writing, as they are a part of his voice and identity. In addition to tennis and writing, Zach also plays the guitar and enjoys making short films. His short story, “Leftovers” is part of a collection he is currently working on: each story explores a different perspective of the adolescent male experience in Barcelona.
Runner-up: “Uncaged” by Sophia Pham
Ages 16–17
Winner: “Ten Pounds in Five Days, or Whatever Other Lies We Try to Sell You” by Jenny Hu
“The ancient astrologers were all terrified of the comet. They called the streaking light a
bad omen, a harbinger of great change. You watched it shed its snowy bulk in a flaring tail, your chest still heaving from the trek, and you knew it was beautiful.”— “Ten Pounds in Five Days, or Whatever Other Lies We Try to Sell You” by Jenny Hu
Jenny Hu (she/her) is a freshman at Brown University. An alum of the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio and the Adroit Summer Mentorship, her work is forthcoming in or has been recognized by Split Lip, Bayou Magazine, and the New York Times, among others.
Runner-up: “Living Water” by Alexis Yi-Le
Ages 18-19
Winner: “Locker Room Talk” by Elliot Park
“A familiar figure stares back at me, but it’s odd and not very normal at all.”—“Locker Room Talk” by Elliot Park
Elliot Park is an up-and-coming author of short stories and essays. Their work focuses on the complexities of neurodivergent, queer, and transgender identities, and the intersections that exist between them. Elliot is currently attending Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. They live in New Jersey with their family and many pets.
Runner-up: “Crow Boys” by Jessica Peng
Subscribe to One Story or One Teen Story in print or on your mobile device to read the winners’ stories throughout the year. Our next Teen Writing Contest will take place in fall 2022.
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