AGORA Winners

2023 Winners

High School

Short Story First Place: Olivia Linkous, Princeton Senior High School
Short Story Second Place: Mandy Zhang, Princeton Senior High School

Pencil Art First place: Olivia Linkous, Princeton Senior High School

BSU

Poetry:

First Place: Jennifer Cook
Second Place: Hunter Stroupe

Short Story:

First place: Abran Jaquez
Second place: Sarah E. Cook

Personal Essay:

First Place: Ariel Hindre
Second place: Abran Jaquez

Popular Article:

First Place: Curtis Hayden Walsh
Second Place: Abran Jaquez

Art:

First place: Aziyah Jackson
Second Place: Autumn Dickerson

Pencil Art:

First place: Donna Bowen
Second Place: Darren Crump

Photography:

First place: William Mills
Second place: Sarah E. Cook

Sculpture:

First place: Destiny Burnette
Second place: Sarah E. Cook

View Winning Submissions

Winners are requested to call 304-327-4036 to get their certificates.

Judges

Carolyn Kirby
Scott Pitt
Ansel Ponder
Carolyn K Jamkhandi
Dr. Michael Smith
Linda Hoagland
Kurt Landefeld
Mark Botts

2022 Winners – Humanities Agora

High School

Poetry

First Place:“Martyr of Linen” by Jacob Lawless, Mercer Christian Academy;
Second Place: “Hyacinthus” by Brienna Skeens, Montcalm High School

High School Short Story: First Place:

“In Light of a Storm” by Jacob Lawless, Mercer Christian Academy

HS Personal Essays and vignettes: First Place:

“A Dark Walk” submitted by Montcalm High School Teacher Stacy Canterbury for student who requested anonymity;

HS Personal Essays and vignettes: Second Place:

“Where do you want to go?” by Jasmin Mullins, Richlands High School

College Poetry: First Place:

Collection of Poetry, Bobby Lawrence, BSU;

College Poetry: Second Place:

“Rest in Peace Humanity” and “Meaning of Life” by Maitreyi Salvi, R. A. Podar College of Commerce (prospective international partner)

College Short Story: First Place:

“Just a Regular Guy” BSU Fulbright Portuguese Teacher from Brazil;

College Short Story: Second Place:

“The Photo Album” by Aaron Turner, BSU

College Personal Essays and vignettes: First Place:

“The Accident” by Aaron Turner, BSU;

College Personal Essays and vignettes: Second Place:

“I am Black and My Life Matters” by Jade Goodloe, BSU

College Art: First Place:

Krishna playing the flute by Shivam Sonawane, R. A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, India (prospective institutional partner)

College Art: Second Place:

Einstein and Rabindranath Tagore by Mangesh Sawant, R. A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, India (prospective institutional partner)

College Photography: First Place:

“The Gods have Deserted Us” by Meenakshi Chandrabose, R. A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, India (prospective institutional partner);

College Photography: Second Place:

“It’s Mine, says Fido” by William Mills, BSU

College Music: First Place:

“For you” by Shanti Sanyasi, BSU

College Music: Second Place:

“Rock Solo” by Mayan, Katria, R. A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, India

Agora First Place winners receive tuition waivers of $500 and Second Place winners receive tuition waivers of $250 that are redeemable when enrolled at Bluefield State College.

Agora judges, to whom are owed thanks, included Scott Pitt, Sheilah Sites, Carolyn Kirby, Carolyn Jamkhandi, Dr. MIchael Smith, Kurt Landefeld, Mark Botts, and Linda Hoagland.

The Virtual 2022 Agora featuring poetry readings, music performances, winning submissions and honorable mentions for poetry, short stories, personal essays, art, and photography will be available for viewing in June 2022 at https://bluefieldstate.edu/agora.

The 2022 virtual Agora is dedicated to the people of Ukraine and will feature music by two Ukrainian musicians, Vera Lytovchenko, a member of Kharkiv’s orchestra, and movie score composer Kostya Leontovich. Submissions were invited from are high school students and students from Bluefield State and its international partner institutions as well as from prospective international partner institutions.

Agora, A Celebration of Creative Expression is coordinated by Dr. Sudhakar R. Jamkhandi for BSU’s Humanities Department. For inquiries about Agora, please email agora@bluefieldstate.edu.

2021 Winners – Humanities Agora

High School

Poetry

First Place Amethyst Cochran, Princeton Senior High School: “Ode to the Girl in the Back of the Class”
First Place Elaine Tinio, Graham High School: “The Thing No One Tells You”
Second Place Shraddha Patel, Graham High School: “Change”

Personal Essay

First Place Daniel Creer, Princeton Senior High School: “How My Sister Helped Get a Life-Saving Treatment Approved”
Second Place Melissa Deal, “Love”