HCC hosts reading, awards ceremony for the 60th Round Table Literary Journal

The 60th edition of Hopkinsville Community College’s Round Table Literary Journal has been published, and at Thursday’s reading and awards ceremony, the contributors were recognized for their literary and artistic talents.

The Round Table Literary Journal has been an HCC staple since 1967. This year’s edition has nearly 50 submissions, consisting of poems, nonfiction pieces and artwork. The Editorial Staff, included HCC students Jasmine Beckwith, Katie Soliz, Kayla Sapp, Victoria Walker and Donnie Howse, and they were led by English Professor and Journal Editor Caitlin Riley.

Before any awards were presented or pieces were read, Riley spotlighted the journal’s 60th anniversary. Since the first edition in 1967, Riley says a year has not passed without a journal being published, and she recognized the past editors and contributors for keeping the journal alive.

Callie Ewer received a second-place prize for her nonfiction piece, “My Father and My Dad.” Ewer called the journal a bit of a family tradition, and said in the past, her great-grandmother had some of her work published in the journal. She also shared that writing is a therapeutic tool that helps her express her thoughts and emotions.

Beckwith took home a second-place prize for her multimedia art piece, “Sunflowers,” which displays a Black woman surrounded by sunflowers and other plants. Beckwith spent around nine months working on the piece and shared that sunflowers are a recurring element in her artwork.

To further celebrate the journal’s anniversary, Riley invited audience members to share any memories they have associated with the journal and HCC’s Round Table Literary Park. Professor Pat Riley has worked at HCC for nearly 28 years, and before applying for the job, he received a brochure that included the park, and says is it was one of the factors that attracted him to the college. After getting the job, Riley says he lived across the street from HCC and would always pass through the park.

For writers and artists who missed out on being a part of this year’s journal, submissions for the 60th edition will open toward the end of summer.

The Full List of Winners:

Children’s Poetry:
1^st Place: Ella Sims, “Seashore Storm”
2^nd Place: Addalyn Sims, “Blooms”

Children’s Artwork:
1^st Place: Lauren Shown
2^nd Place: Emily Shown
3^rd Place: Hadley Mathis

Adult Poetry:
1^st Place: Rose Rosenthal
2^nd Place: Kayla Sapp, “Aftermath” and “Finding Me Again”
3^rd Place: Alex Tubbs, “Six Shadows in the Sand”

Adult Creative Nonfiction:
1^st Place: Wes Norton, “Sacrifice Builds Strength”
2^nd Place: Callie Ewer, “My Father and My Dad”
3^rd Place Caitlin Casillas, “Sheews”

Adult Artwork:
1^st Place: Bailey Bayne, “Scarlet Begonias”
2^nd Place: Jasmine Beckwith, “Sunflowers”
3^rd Place: Ella Sims, “Moon”

Cover Art: Addalyn Sims