May 15, 2025
MOUNT VERNON, Ga. — On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, six high school students won scholarships to Brewton-Parker College during the 2025 Young Writers Conference. During this conference, students from several school systems around the state participated in immersive writing workshops led by current BPC professors who were selected for their expertise and passion for helping young writers grow. Participants attended workshops on various topics, from “Building Your Path as a Writer” to “Devotional Poetry.”
Following these workshops, students applied their newly acquired skills to a personal creative writing piece to compete for the Outstanding Achievement Award in their workshop. The professors then evaluated these submissions to select the award recipients.
The following students received the Outstanding Achievement Award for their workshops and a $500 scholarship to attend BPC:
1. Laila Sloggy (Parkview High School) - "Building Your Path as a Writer: From Aspiration to Craft"
2. Luke O’Barr (Screven Christian Academy) - “Crafting Dialog for Fiction Writing”
3. Ben Farmer (Screven Christian Academy) - “Imitation and Inspiration in Creative Writing”
4. Jakob Tarpley (Wheeler County High School) - “Crafting a Better Character: Archetypes and Authenticity”
5. Mia Blackmon (South Effingham High School) - “The Scene: Developing Plot and Character through the Dramatic Encounter”
6. Layla Smith (Metter High School) - “Devotional Poetry”
Additionally, one student was selected from this list to receive the Highest Honors Award for the overall best submission, receiving an additional $500 scholarship and honorary publication in this year’s edition of Oracle, BPC’s undergraduate journal. This year’s Highest Honors Award was presented to Laila Sloggy from Parkview High School (Lilburn, GA).
“I was very impressed with the conference and the students from around the state who chose to participate,” stated Dr. Beverly Faircloth, Division Chair of Education, Behavioral Sciences, and Humanities. “The high school students benefited from the opportunity to interact with our students and professors. It was obvious that they love writing, and I am proud that we could play a part in helping them hone their craft. I am looking forward to future conferences.”
In addition to the writing workshops, students and chaperones enjoyed a campus tour and complimentary lunch with the student ambassadors from Admissions. Afterwards, they attended a Q&A Writers panel featuring current BPC students and alumni, including Willie Ford, a former Young Writers Conference scholarship recipient. During this panel, attendees actively engaged with the panelists, asking in-depth questions regarding their experiences and inspirations in writing. The event concluded with an awards ceremony led by Dr. Justin E. Russell, BPC Provost, who presented the recipients with their awards.
After the event, Dr. Russell reflected, "Words are seeds of transformation, and through this conference, Brewton-Parker College is cultivating the next generation of writers who will illuminate truth, inspire hope, and expand our collective understanding. I'm thankful to the volunteers and participants for helping reignite this event."
The Department of Humanities and Brewton-Parker Admissions are already planning the next Young Writers Conference, tentatively scheduled for spring 2026. Brewton-Parker College remains dedicated to fostering young talent and looks forward to welcoming the next generation of writers to future conferences.
