Italy Writes 2025 Announces Winners of Creative Writing Contest
On June 5, JCU Writer in Residence Nicole Sealey, an award-winning poet, joined the finalists of the Italy Writes 2025 Creative Writing Competition as Professor Christin Campbell announced the winners at the online award ceremony.
Sealey complimented these budding writers for their accomplishment, especially since they are writing in a language that is not their primary language of instruction. Recalling American poet Walt Whitman, Sealey noted that the true impact of creative work stems from the unique perspective one brings. She encouraged them to continue their creative, sometimes solitary, journey and dedicate the time and the patience necessary to create.
Italy Writes
Since 2011, JCU’s Italy Writes Competition has been promoting the discovery of the personal creative voice in Italian high school students whose primary language of study is not English. This year, 50 submissions were received from students representing ten high schools in Rome, Pomezia, Anagni, Benevento, Milan, and Venice.
To provide students with the opportunity to earn the Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e per l’Orientamento (PCTO) certification (a mandatory program that provides Italian high school students with opportunities to learn and improve practical, work-related skills), the Italy Writes program makes available to teachers a variety of resources to use as supplements to their own Creative Writing Workshops with their students. In addition to those provided by JCU’s Writing Center, resources for teachers included recorded Craft Talks on specific aspects of Creative Writing from the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program.
Special thanks go to historic external member of the panel of judges, Professor Christopher Merrill, Director of the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program, and his team for their support of Italy Writes and contribution to the Resources for Teachers and Students. We sincerely appreciate having the IWP as part of JCU’s Italy Writes and its mission to support Italian high school teachers and students over the years.
Non-Fiction
- 1st place (€300 gift certificate) to Ludovica Santoro, 3rd year at Istituto Paritario Bonifacio VIII in Anagni (Prof. Kate Samuels) for Blossoms
- 2nd place (€200 gift certificate) to Sanya Noghrekar, 5th year at Liceo Classico/Linguistico Statale Tito Lucrezio Caro in Rome, (Prof. Serena Strianese) for Iranian Women’s Condition
- 3rd place (€100 gift certificate) to Maria Vittoria Barcaccia Pucci, 5th year at Liceo Ginnasio Statale Dante Alighieri in Rome, (Prof. Patrizia Caronna) for Silent Scars: the Hidden Tragedy of Femail Genital Mutilation
Honorable Mention to Cristian Dilauro, 3rd year at Liceo Scientifico Statale Isacco Newton in Rome, (Prof. Mary Lovaglio) for The Great Attractor.
Fiction
- 1st place (€300 gift certificate) to Giovanni Scatto, 3rd year at Convitto Nazionale Marco Foscarini di Venezia, (Prof. Laura Galante) for Reverse Order
- 2nd place (€200 gift certificate) to Aurora Girardi, 3rd year at Liceo Scientifico Statale Isacco Newton in Rome, (Prof. Mary Lovaglio) for Free
- 3rd place (tie) (€50 gift certificate) to Jessica Pradal,3rd year at Convitto Nazionale Marco Foscarini di Venezia, (Prof. Laura Galante) for The Sound of Breathing
- 3rd place (tie) (€50 gift certificate) to Caterina Quilici, 5th year at Liceo Classico/Linguistico Statale Tito Lucrezio Caro in Rome, (Prof. Serena Strianese) for They Are Listening
- Honorable Mention to Elena Sofia Battisti, 5th year at Liceo Classico/Linguistico Statale Tito Lucrezio Caro in Rome, (Prof. Serena Strianese) for Alzheimer.
Congratulations to the winners and the many students and teachers across Italy who participate in Italy Writes each year!
