2023-24 Innovate Winners

Innovate is honored to announce ACC’s 2023-24 winners of the League for Innovation Student Literary Award.

Short Stories

1st Place: “To Build a Glasshouse” by Jessica Awada
2nd Place: “Among the Shades of Áine” by Benjamin Kajs
3rd Place: “The Boy Named Quiet and the House of Rats” by Zane Duzant

Honorable Mentions Short Stories

“Talia” by Jennifer St. George
“The View Between Villages” by London Reynolds
“Adulting” by Isabella McLean-Turner

Special Mentions Short Stories

“False The Prophet” by Brighton Hibler
“Minor Inconveniences” by Olivia Forte

Poetry

1st Place: “A Ghazal For MAANG Zaddies” by Divya Goruganthu
2nd Place: “Sweetness” by Kayla Gross
3rd Place: “The Door Isn’t Wide Enough” by David Gerber

Honorable Mentions Poems

“Immigrant Ambition” by Shada Essaid
“Numb November Broken Bus Believer” by Nara Yoo
“The Wrong Shade of Make-Up” by Kelda Harrison
“A Tech Bro Overthinks” by Divya Goruganthu

Special Mentions Poems

“Voice of Courage: Sophie Cruz” by Michelle Mendoza
“Requiem” by Benjamin Kajs
“Hospital” by Perla Ramirez
“On The Next Go Around” by Coral Brundige
“Imagine” by Emmalynne Arita

Nature-themed

“Washed-Up” by Divya Goruganthu
“Requiem” by Benjamin Kajs
“Rose of Thorns” by Ryan Rodriguez
“My Relationship to Nature” by Suresh Neupane


Congratulations to our winners! Thanks to the creative team behind Innovate and to our panel of readers. Most of all, thanks to our talented students!