Area students were among those to take part in Youngstown State University's 25th annual English Festival.

The festival originated in the fall of 1978 when Professor Thomas Gay and Dr. Carol Gay, of the university's English department, established a memorial fund in memory of their daughter. Candace McIntyre Gay died in 1977 of cancer at age 13.

The following local winners were named:

   » Barbara Brothers Writing Award for Teachers -- Mary Ann Wilson, Wilmington High School, first prize.

   » Candace Gay Memorial Award -- Kaitlin McMurdy, Greenville High; Kathleen Cianci, St. Michael School, Greenville; Teresa M. Lepak, Sharon High School; and Sarah Henrich, West Middlesex High School, all finalists; and Jonathan C. Fraser, Greenville High, first prize.

   » English Festival art contest -- Annah Turnick, Joseph Badger High School, Kinsman, first prize; and Brianna Allen and Heather Hoffman, both Greenville High; and Dawnelle Jewell, Joseph Badger Middle School, Kinsman, all honorable mention.

   » Impromptu writing contest -- James Piroga, Greenville High, third prize; Kyle King, Greenville High, fourth prize; Kelli Smith, Badger High; and Jennifer Gearhart, Greenville High, Kara Meyer, Wilmington High; and Kayla Beck, West Middlesex Junior Senior High School, all fifth prize; Alan J. Hogan, Greenville High, sixth prize; Lauren Foltz and Naomi Meokel, both Wilmington High, both seventh prize; and Lindsay Bernard, Joseph Badger High; Kimberly Turner, Brookfield High School; Katrina Jeffries, Kelly Steele, Brianna Allen, Oluremi Ogunro and Ashley Fisher, all Greenville High; Krysta Cione, Hermitage Middle School; Allison Lutheran, Hubbard High School; Autumn Crawford, Jamestown High School; Kelly Nottingham, St. Michael; Samantha Clarke, Sharon Middle-High School; Lisa Revale and James Vasconi, both Sharon High; and Bethany Shaffer, Wilmington High, all honorable mention.

   » Journalism workshop -- Hannah Miller, Badger High, first prize; Andrea Ball, Hubbard High, second prize; Dennis Reynolds, Greenville High; Christen Whalen, Notre Dame School, Hermitage; Catherine Campbell, St. Joseph's School, Sharon; and Teresa Lepak, Sharon High, all honorable mention.

   » Language games -- Vanessa Shafer and Rachel Doran, both Badger High; Christian Garner, Farrell High; Jenna Sheronovich, Hubbard High; John Buchenic, Reed Middle School, Hubbard; and Nick Riggall, Wilmington High, all first-prize teams; and Anthony Mancini, Allyson Palmer, all Badger High; Mallorie Martin, Greenville High; Ryan Hartenstein, Hermitage Middle; Molly Dale, Hermitage Middle; Matt Ross, Notre Dame; Corey Huff, Reed Middle; Kali Neil and Caitlin Zarecky, both Reynolds High School; Ross Gargano and Leah Chuey, both St. Joseph's; Kayla Lenkner, Greenville High, all second-prize teams.

   » Not-so-trivial pursuit -- Cassie Cauffield, Badger High; Kayla Flowers, Badger Middle; Adam Brooks, Farrell High; Jeni Gearhart, Greenville High; Chris Hull, Hermitage Middle; Erica Wenger, Sharon Middle; and Casandra Tice and Mark McPheron, both West Middlesex High, all first prize.

   » Writing games -- Brianna Allen, Greenville High; Lauren Foltz, Wilmington High; and Caitlin Moss, Wilmington Middle School, both first-place teams; Jennifer Magee, Greenville High, second-place team; Tyler Eucker, Badger Middle; Remi Ogunro, Greenville High; Andrew Wiesen, Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage; and Cassie Byers, West Middlesex High, both third-place teams; Anthony Mancini, Allyson Palmer and Amanda Gordon, all Badger High; Brandy Stock, Farrell High; Sandy DeVito, Reynolds High; and Brielle Wellner, West Middlesex High, all fourth-place teams; and Jared Buchholz, Kristina Davis, Lauren Powers and Kayla Carucci, all Greenville High; Jon Hanratty and Carly Turk, both Hermitage Middle; Ashley Bates and Jamie Legendre, both Jamestown High; Juliana Khouri, Kennedy Catholic; Anne Grabaskas, St. Patrick's School, Hubbard; Rick Holzworth, West Middlesex High; and Carrie Shafer, Wilmington Middle, all honorable mention.