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Justin Butts, 18, a Warsaw Community High School senior, is one of just two Indiana students who are semi-finalists for the Ernest Hemingway Writing Awards for High School Journalists.
Of the more than 1,000 entries submitted from across the nation for The Kansas City Star-sponsored competition, there are only 35 total semi-finalists in the four categories: feature writing, news writing, sports writing and commentary.
Butts is a semi-finalist in the commentary category for his two pieces, "As the Pages Burn," about Banned Books Week, and "Tis the Season ... For What?", a column on how people complicate the holidays needlessly.
Butts said when he wrote the editorials, he didn't think any more about them than any other piece he'd written. And he didn't know they were submitted for competition - James Sweeney, the WCHS journalism teacher and yearbook/newspaper adviser, did that. A week ago, he said, he found out he was a semi-finalist.
"I was surprised," he said. "I thought there were more journalists more deserving than me. It was definitely a surprise. I'm very happy about it."
Now, Butts just has to wait a few weeks to see if he will be a finalist. Then, if he is, he has to wait a little more to find out if he wins the $2,500 first-prize award.
"Just to be where he's at is an extreme honor," said Sweeney. Everyone, he said, is proud of Butts. "It's a fairly exclusive club." The list of past winners is impressive, he said. "I don't think Justin has any problems fitting in. He's an impressive young man."
While Butts said he has enjoyed journalism in high school, it is not a part of his occupational goals.
"I'm planning on being a paramedic," he said. He wants to go out west and work as a mountain search and rescuer. "I really enjoy helping people and I really enjoy nature. I like being outside."
Along with helping people, Butts is known for being rather modest. His parents didn't know he was a semi-finalist until they were contacted Wednesday by a WCHS staff member. And, as of Thursday, he still hadn't talked to them about it. He said he's been too busy working and helping some people he knows work on their homes to discuss it. When he is home, he's busy doing his homework or going to bed.
The school newspaper is the only extracurricular activity he has time for, he said.
Sweeney said of Butts, "He's a very good writer. He does a good job as co-editor of the paper."
Even though Butts is rather nonchalant about the award, that doesn't mean Butts doesn't appreciate the recognition.
"This is probably the greatest accomplishment I've ever had as far as writing," he said. Not many people get to say they're semi-finalists for The Ernest Hemingway writing competition, he said. If he wins, or loses, "I'll be satisfied either way. I try not to set myself up for disappointment."
As for advice he'd give to other writers, Butts said, "Write from your heart." He said he's found that if he writes otherwise, all he has are words. A writer should have a connection to what they are writing. "You just have to put yourself into everything."
He also said, "Find inspiration wherever you can."
The awards were founded in 1996 to encourage, recognize and reward the same kind of outstanding writing among young journalists of today as Hemingway wrote for his high school newspaper and after joining The Kansas City Star in 1917. A $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to the first-place winner in each category. The winner and their teacher will be flown to Kansas City in April for an awards banquet.
Preliminary judging was completed by the Star staff. Final sellection will be by a jury of journalists, educators and others. The winners will be notified after judging is completed in March.
For more on the awards, visit online at www.kcstar.com/hemingway
