From staff reports

The Friends of the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library will sponsor the 28th Annual Creative Writing Awards Contest for students in fifth through 12th grade. Students are invited to submit prose and poetry entries in categories divided by age group.

The entries will be judged by local professionals, and winners will be given cash prizes.

First-place awards of $25 and second-place awards of $15 will be made in each category. Honorable mention certificates will also be awarded. Judging will be based on originality, creativity and neatness. Categories will be divided into fifth- and sixth-grade prose, seventh- through ninth-grade prose, 10th through 12th-grade prose, fifth- and sixth-grade poetry, seventh- through ninth-grade poetry and 10th- through 12th-grade poetry.

Students may enter one or both categories.

Winners will be invited to the awards ceremony on April 15 at 7 p.m. in the library’s auditorium. Lauchlin Fields, a reporter with The Vicksburg Post, will be the speaker. The event is part of the library’s National Library Week celebration.

Entries are due Feb. 29 and may be entered through a contact teacher at local schools or at the library. Winners will be notified by April 1.