Patapsco High School Student Wins National Writing Contest

DUNDALK, MD — Allie (Talis) Hill, a junior literary arts student at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts, won a top prize in the Young Writers “Through Their Eyes” writing contest. From thousands of entries received from across the nation, Hill’s poem “Growth” was one of only five selected to be honored. In addition to being published, Hill has won $100 and a trophy.

“Allie is an amazingly talented and prolific author with an incredible gift for conveying emotion in her writing,” Trisha A. Dunn, Patapsco High’s magnet coordinator, said in a press release.

Hill joined Patapsco's Literary Arts magnet last year as a sophomore, literary arts teacher Julie Cutlip said.

"She is quite a prolific storyteller. For a 20,000-word story, she limits herself to 40,000 words. Allie was insistent that she was ‘not a poet.’ Despite ‘having no talent’ for poetry, somehow, she managed to not only be recognized in the Young Writers' Through Their Eyes writing contest but to actually win," Cutlip said. "Allie is currently a junior and writing amazing poetry every day in her poetry class. Today might just be the day she accepts that she is a poet.”