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| Amanda Stopa Goldstein, seated, listens as Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne discusses her submission that earned top honors in the Adult Division of the North Country Historical Writing Contest. |
A Canton woman reprised her role as the winner of the 2017 North Country Historical Writing Contest's Adult Division, and a sophomore at Indian River Central School student captured top honors in the Teen Division.
The winners of the contest, sponsored by Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne and NorthCountryNow.com, were honored at a recent awards ceremony at the Potsdam Public Library.
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| Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne speaks at the Potsdam Public Library during a ceremony honoring the winners of this year's Historical Writing Contest. |
Amanda Stopa Goldstein took top honors in the Adult Division for her work, Vetsville, the tale of a Canton man returning home from World War II to a life far different than he hoped to be living.
Assemblywoman Jenne noted Ms. Goldstein's submission last year had focused on the life of a patient at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center and raised questions about possible injustices that had led to her being treated at the facility.
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| Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne poses with writer Amanda Stopa Goldstein. |
"This year's story was equally as moving. Her story delves into how difficult life was for a young man after he returned home from World War II and had to face the loss of the love of his life and their child. It delved into how difficult it was to go on with his life without the family he so desperately wanted. Her work also touched on the societal realities of the time," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
"Her writing draws you in, and you feel the person's pain. Amanda’s writing pushes us to think and leads us to realize we have come a long ways over the past several decades. But it is also a reminder of the challenges our soldiers face when they return home from war. Many of our veterans today suffer from the same types of pain," she added.
Mckenzie Whitmore, 15, was selected as the winner of the Teen Division for her piece, "A Bright Future for America." Her story spotlights two heroes of the women's rights movement in the moments before they took the national stage.
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| Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne presents McKenzie Whitmore with a certificate honoring her selection as the winner of the Teen Division of the North Country Historical Writing Contest. |
"It's an intimate short story about the culminating event in the women's rights movement, but McKenzie also shows us how normal their lives were outside the spotlight. She was really able to capture the many types of feelings that race through your minds in moments like these," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
The historical writing contest aims to encourage writers to get creative while exploring the North Country’s history. Assemblywoman Jenne noted she grew up hearing stories about her family’s history. She said she loves learning more about individuals from the past who played large and small roles in making the North Country what it is today in the contest submissions.
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| McKenzie Whitmore's family joined her for a photograph after she was named the winner of the North Country Historical Writing Contest's Adult Division. Pictured are (l-r): Lucas Whitmore, Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne, winner McKenzie Whitmore, McKenzie's friend Katie Berry, Miranda Whitmore and Jake Whitmore. |
Contestants must live in either Jefferson or St. Lawrence County to enter. While true stories about North Country places and heroes are welcome, the contest is also open to writers who want to explore the region through historical fiction. Stories must be 2,000 words or fewer to be eligible for consideration.
Stories were judged based on their historical and dramatic content, style, and connection to the region. The ideal story is one that demonstrates knowledge about the North Country’s history and people while creating a narrative that’s hard to forget.
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| Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne (center) talks with McKenzie Whitmore (left) and Amanda Stopa Goldstein (right), winners of the teen and adult divisions of the North Country Historical Writing Contest. |
The contest judges were Theresa Free Library Director Kristy Perry; Reading Room Association of Gouverneur Director Linda Adams; SUNY Potsdam History Department Chair Dr. Thomas N. Baker; Flower Memorial Library Director Yvonne Reff; and Canton Free Library Director Emily Owen.