IA’s Young Georgia Authors Shine Bright!
April 3, 2025 2025-11-21 22:46IA’s Young Georgia Authors Shine Bright!
By: Arianna Edwards
IA is brimming with talent, and the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition has made it official! This statewide contest, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education, celebrates creativity and outstanding writing, and IA Phoenix students truly brought their A-game.
A team of dedicated English Language Arts teachers carefully reviewed submissions based on originality, language use, and unique voice. The best work from each grade level advanced to the Fulton County Schools competition, where two of IA’s exceptional students emerged victorious!
🏆 Meet IA’s District Champions
- 🎉 Grade 9 Winner: “The Code of Love” by Sahasra Pokala
- 🎉 Grade 12 Winner: “Tyler Durden’s Life in the 2020s: A Contextual Analysis of Palahniuk’s Fight Club” by Nathan Xhemali
These outstanding pieces are now set to compete at the state level in April. Before they step onto the next stage, let’s dive into their creative processes, inspirations, and what this achievement means to them.
📖 Spotlight on Sahasra Pokala – Grade 9 Winner
- Q: What’s your story about? “The Code of Love” explores Bhaavya’s journey, a quiet computer science student discovering that life and relationships, much like coding, are full of unpredictable surprises.
- Q: What inspired you? I usually write sci-fi and fantasy, but this story was a last-minute switch from my usual style. Taking that leap turned out to be a great decision!
- Q: What message do you want readers to take away? That perfection isn’t necessary—whether in coding or connections. Sometimes, you just need to take a chance and embrace the chaos.
🎬 A Closer Look at Nathan Xhemali – Grade 12 Winner
- Q: Can you summarize your piece? It’s an analysis of Fight Club, focusing on how the film’s themes of toxic masculinity connect to modern influencers on social media.
- Q: Why choose Fight Club? It started as an assignment, but exploring the film’s deep dive into identity and masculinity was fascinating and I finally had an excuse to watch it!
- Q: What’s next for you? More writing and analysis whenever I can find the time, though college will surely keep me busy.
🚀 Final Thoughts
Sahasra and Nathan’s achievements showcase IA’s commitment to creativity, curiosity, and bold ideas. Let’s cheer them on as they represent Innovation Academy at the state competition!
Do you dream of being next year’s Young Georgia Authors champion? Start writing today- your ideas could take you anywhere!
