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Sierra Kondos

Special to the News

 The Lamar University Literary Press has partnered with Ancient to the Future to offer a $1,000 prize and the opportunity to get published in an upcoming 2025 anthology over the topic on extreme weather and inequality to students at the five biggest high schools in Orange County. The submission portal is open, and the deadline is May 1, 2025.

The five high schools are Bridge City, Little Cypress-Mauriceville, Orangefield, Vidor and West-Orange Starks.

Students can submit personal stories, essays, short stories, screenplays, and poems that reflect personal experiences with extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods or heatwaves and their effects on daily life. The indirect consequences of extreme weather, such as how it impacts social, economic, and environmental inequalities in your own community, as well as other communities around the world. The region’s efforts to rebuild and adapt.

The submissions must be adhered to the topic of extreme weather and inequality. Entries cannot exceed 1,500 words, entries cannot be produced in any capacity by generative AI and they must be fully original works by a student enrolled in an Orange County high school.

 “Children’s voices deserve to be heard,” Kate Williams, executive director of Ancient to the Future project said. “Young people have a lot on their minds. We all need the chance to read their thoughtful words and think about them.  As for the topics, inequality and extreme weather are national, even global, issues.  

Williams said Orange County, like Jefferson County, is a front-line community.

“Ancient to the Future is proud to support Grace and partner with Lamar University Literary Press on this second contest and anthology,” she said. “The first anthology called, “Another Way,” and it is comprised of works from Jefferson County students.”

Grace Harmon, Lamar University graduate student and editor for the next anthology, says the first anthology, “Another Way,” was inspired by a poem submitted by Sakara Harris.

“We looked at the student writing, and we pulled from it,” Harmon said. “Her poem was titled “Another way,” and we felt that it summed up the project well. During the first book release, I discovered this project and wanted to replicate it for Orange County students. I am serving as a student editor on it. I’m taking over the formal work and Kate Williams is doing more of the organizational, managing stuff side of it. So essentially, I’m going to be typesetting the book for it.”

Harmon will be filtering through the submissions and getting them to the judges.

“I will be stripping and blinding them so that the judges remain fair and unbiased,” she said.  “I will be organizing the book release party scheduled for next winter. I’m doing a lot of work, except judging. I’m not doing any of that. We have got people for that, but we’re starting to get people for that.?

John Rutherford, an administrative coordinator of the English Department at Lamar University will be one of the judges.

“A winning story, poem or essay should properly convey the writer’s experience or narrative with precise language and good imagery,” he said. “Five poems, short stories or prose essays will be chosen, one from each of the five high schools.”

Rutherford’s advice to students.

“Be honest,” he said. “Tell the truth from your perspective and engage with emotion.”

Ancient to the Future project is an organization created to tackle inequality and climate crisis by combining and amplifying local voices. This means discussions, publications, and creativity. Their first locale is Beaumont/Jefferson County, Texas.

For more information on Ancient to the future visit www.ancienttothefuture.org.

Email submissions to aharmon6@lamar.edu.