A reception honoring three local women authors will precede an awards
ceremony for local high school seniors beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17,
at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Bloomington.
The Bloomington-Normal branch of the American Association for University Women (AAUW-BN) will sponsor its first Women Book Authors Reception, highlighting the work and hearing comments from Maura Toro-Morn and Roberta Seelinger Trites of Illinois State University and Venus E. Evans-Winters of Illinois Wesleyan University. There will be book signings and refreshments.
At 7 p.m., AAUW-BN will hold its second annual high school senior essay contest awards ceremony. The reception and awards ceremony are free and open to the public.
Nine essays from seniors at three Bloomington-Normal high schools were reviewed and the winners are Allie Johnson of Bloomington and Normal Community High School, first place; Kelli Neargarder of Normal and Normal Community High School, second place; and Stephanie Jankowski of Bloomington and University High School.
Finalist awards will be presented to Jessica Byerly and Amanda Roberts of Bloomington and University High School, and Kristina Warren of Bloomington and Bloomington High School. The top place-winners and finalists each received cash awards sponsored by AAUW-BN, the ISU Department of Physics and the ISU American Democracy Project.
Honorable mention certificates will go to Michelle Eack of Bloomington and U High, Amanda Whitehouse of Normal and Normal Community High School and Erica Woodall of Normal and U High.
The American Association of University Women promotes equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change.
