Nearly 20 students from Whidbey Island schools received awards for their submissions in the Celebrate Writing contest.

Put on by the Whidbey Island Writers Association, the students accepted their awards May 30 at Whidbey Children’s Theater in Langley. Winners read their work aloud on stage at the awards ceremony Saturday evening.

The first-place contest winners were Sophia Shomper, Taryn Ralphs, Jeremy Houser, Reed Rowley, Ann Johnson and Devin King.

Second-place winners were Lilah Chappelle, Abigail Place, Laura Langer, Haley Riffel, Aurora Moore, Lacey Zylstra and Alexis Wenzek.

Third-place winners were Richie Hinojos, Jacob Swanson, Colin Diamond, Lindsay Brown, Haley Riffel and Tyler King.

Northwest Institute of Literary Arts Marketing Director Jeanne Juneau said the contest was created to be a “pillar of positive support for each student who enters.”

”It’s all about helping young writers build their craft,” she said, in a recent news release.

This year’s competition was presented in collaboration with Whidbey Children’s Theater.