The winners of this year’s Frank X Walker Creative Arts Contest have been announced, spanning six schools from the Greater Danville/Boyle County region (Boyle and each of its surrounding counties). The 37 students recognized competed in four categories: poetry, visual art, illustrated poetry, and — for the first time — playwriting.

Winning students are invited to receive certificates of recognition at the Festival Awards Ceremony at Danville High School’s Gravely Hall Performing Arts Center Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Walker will be on hand reading poetry, and the works of the winning poets and playwrights will be shared. The following day, Saturday, March 7, there will be an Art and Poetry Exhibit opening reception at Boyle County Public Library, 2-3 p.m., where visual art and illustrated poetry winners will have their work displayed. 

The winners, their grade levels, and their schools are listed below.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN POETRY

Intermediate: Grades 2-5

• Harold Gatica, 4th Grade, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School
• Beau Schweickhardt, 4th Grade, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School
• Addison Stull, 4th Grade, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School 

Middle School: Grades 6-8

• Lucy Castillo, 6th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School
• Emery Goetsch, 8th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School
• Bentley Lane, 7th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School

High School: Grades 9-12

• Aubree Caldwell, Junior, Danville High School
• Kira Crowe, Senior, Danville High School
• Harmony Hargis, Senior, Boyle County High School
• Azrail Knoll, Senior, Danville High School
• Vrunda Patel, Freshman, Danville High School

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL ART

Primary School: Grades K-1

• Benedict Lanham, 1st Grade, Woodlawn Elementary School

Intermediate: Grades 2-5

• Lucas Doneghy, 2nd Grade, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School
• Rylan Ellis, 5th Grade, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School
• Jaryd Ellis, 5th Grade, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School
• Aniyah Gause, 4th Grade, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School

Middle School: Grades 6-8

• Ashlynn Edwards, 8th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School
• Layla Followell, 8th Grade, Marion County Middle School
• Avery Long, 7th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School
• Georgiabelle Shenton, 7th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School

High School: Grades 9-12

• Vrunda Patel, Freshman, Danville High School
• Mahala Pierce, Senior, Danville High School
• Mckinlee Shannon, Freshman, Boyle County High School
• Hailey Thrasher, Junior, Danville High School
• Madelyn Wilkerson, Sophomore, Boyle County High School

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PLAYWRITING

High School: Grades 9-12

• Harmony Hargis, Senior, Boyle County High School
• Sadie Pusateri, Senior, Danville High School

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ILLUSTRATED POETRY

Primary School: Grades K-1

• Kabree Anderson, 1st Grade, Mary G. Hogsett Primary School
• Maya Baselice, 1st Grade, Mary G. Hogsett Primary School
• Amyrah Ford, 1st Grade, Mary G. Hogsett Primary School
• Tucker Glenn, 1st Grade, Mary G. Hogsett Primary School
• Blakelynn Lopez, 1st Grade, Mary G. Hogsett Primary School
• Ada Schweickhardt, 1st Grade, Mary G. Hogsett Primary School 

Middle School: Grades 6-8

• Charlee Harper, 7th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School
• Kylinn Warner, 8th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School
• Chloe Whisenant, 8th Grade, John W. Bate Middle School

High School: Grades 9-12

• Iris Spears, Sophomore, Danville High School

For more information, including the community events of the Frank X Walker Creative Arts Festival, go to www.danvilleschools.net/frank-x-walker-fest-2026.