KINGSVILLE (June 3, 2025) — After area high school seniors were given an opportunity to showcase their creativity in arts, nine were ultimately selected as winners of the inaugural Creative Writing and Artwork Competition.
The competition was created by the Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Department of Language and Literature in the College of Arts and Sciences with the encouragement of Dr. James Palmer, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. It served as a commitment to support the humanities and fine arts by showcasing students from H.M. King Early College High School, Santa Gertrudis Academy, Bishop High School, Riviera-Kaufer Early College High School, and Premont Collegiate High School.
“This is a wonderful way to provide a platform for the maturing voices of future Javelinas in the local high schools,” said Dr. Ani Mukhopadhyay, Associate Professor of English and organizer of the competition.”
Students were vying for first, second and third place in the poetry, short stories and artwork/photography categories, with the winners receiving scholarships to TAMUK in the amount of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 courtesy of the support from of Dr. Rosalind Alderman, TAMUK Vice President of Enrollment Management.
In addition to the scholarship, each winner received a certificate of achievement and recognition and publication in the university’s literary and arts magazine, The Javelina Express. Dr. Roberto Vela Córodva, chair of the department of language and literature, announced additional scholarship funds in the amount of $1,000 for prize winners who enrolled in either the English or Spanish program.
The 2025 winners were:
Poetry:
- 1st - “No One Leaves Hungry” by Colleen Fischer (Bishop)
- 2nd - “Night Shift” by Mouricio Rodriguez (Kaufer)
- 3rd - “Nyctophilia” by Connor Perkins (H. M. King) &
“Puentes Entre Dos Mundos” by Daniel Jimenez (Kaufer)
Short Stories:
- 1st - “Did She Know” by Julia Marie Partain (Kaufer)
- 2nd - “The Price of Resurrection” by Aaron May Gilchrist (Santa Gertrudis)
- 3rd - “The Gas Station Between Worlds” by Alessandra Zavala-Sanford (Kaufer)
Artwork:
- 1st - “What I Don’t See” by McKenzie Siller (Santa Gertrudis)
- 2nd - “By the Bay” by Alyssa L. Sanchez (Kaufer)
- 3rd - “Life of an Indoor Cat” by Zoey Unique (Kaufer)
“This shows that our young people in South Texas have lots of creative talent, and we are here at the university to nurture their growth,” Dr. Dolores Guerrero, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “These young men and women have bright futures ahead of them, and I look forward to welcoming many of them to the university in the Fall.”
The winners were recognized at the launch of the new issue of The Javelina Express hosted by Dr. Mukhopadyay and his students on May 2, 2025, and read their published work in front of the magazine’s editorial board and invited guests.
Palmer said at the launch that TAMUK is committed to hold the competition once again next year with an expanded field to give even more students opportunities to participate.