WPS Students Recognized as Finalists in Annual Young Authors Contest

3/26/2025

Berlin, MD – The Eastern Shore Literacy Association (ESLA) has recently announced that 12 students from Worcester Preparatory School (WPS) have achieved finalist status in the Young Authors Contest, which includes categories for both poetry and short stories. Dr. Brian Cook, the Chair of the ESLA Young Authors’ Contest, noted that this year saw over 400 submissions from 19 participating schools, including public, private and homeschool. Each finalist ranked among the top three in their respective category and grade levels.

2025 ELSA Young Authors Finalists from WPS:

Grade 2, Poetry – 3rd Place: Nicole Sebastian
Grade 2, Short Story – 2nd Place: Nicole Sebastian
Grade 5, Short Story – 3rd Place (tie): Freddy Hertrich
Grade 5, Poetry – 1st Place: Charlize Damouni
Grade 7, Poetry – 1st Place: Lea Jaoude
Grade 7, Short Story – 1st Place: Paige Rohloff
Grade 7, Short Story – 2nd Place: Lillian Ha
Grade 7, Short Story – 3rd Place: Anna French
Grade 8, Short Story – 3rd Place (tie): Sophia Nguyen
Grade 9, Poetry – 3rd Place (tie): Nora Gorfinkel
Grade 10, Poetry – 3rd Place (tie): Sydney Parker
Grade 11, Short Story – 2nd Place: Jake Timmons
Grade 11, Short Story – 3rd Place: Catherine Cullen

ESLA is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a literate society across Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties. They facilitate a collaborative network focused on advancing literacy through various programs and services. ESLA is affiliated with the State of Maryland Literacy Association (SoMLA), a prominent literacy organization in Maryland, which boasts over 1,500 members across 17 active chapters.

Founded in 1970, WPS is a private, independent institution offering education from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, located in Berlin, Maryland. The school serves approximately 500 students from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. For more information about WPS, please visit www.worcesterprep.org or call 410-641-3575.

Back

In the front row are the Lower School finalists for this year’s ELSA Young Authors Contest: Nicole Sebastian (Berlin, MD), Freddy Hertrich (Rehoboth, DE), and Charlize Damouni (Lewes, DE). In the second row from the left, the Middle School finalists include Anna French (Dagsboro, DE), Lillian Ha (Bishopville, MD), Lea Jaoude (Lewes, DE), Sophia Nguyen (Dagsboro, DE), and Paige Rohloff (Bishopville, MD). In the back row, the Upper School finalists are Catherine Cullen (Berlin, MD), Jake Timmons (Dagsboro, DE), Nora Gorfinkel (Berlin, MD), and Sydney Parker (Snow Hill, MD).

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Worcester Preparatory School

508 South Main Street, Berlin, MD 21811

Phone: 410-641-3575 | Fax: 410-641-3586

Celebrating 50 years, WPS is an independent, college prep day school for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 students. Located in Berlin, Maryland, the private school attracts an average of 500 students from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.