Hesston College announces winners of 2026 Acuity Writing Contest

From deeply personal reflections to imaginative storytelling and timely cultural commentary, Hesston College students once again showcased their creativity and talent through the annual Acuity Writing Contest. Recognizing exceptional student work in fiction, nonfiction, editorial writing and poetry, this year’s winners are featured in the 2026 edition of “Acuity: The Journal for Writing and Art,” now available to view online at hesston.edu/acuity2026.

The 2026 Acuity Writing Contest winners are:

Fiction

• First Place — “Beneath the Stars” by Justin Young (sophomore from Richardson, Texas)
• Honorable Mention — “Life” by Juan Hernandez (freshman from Allen, Texas)
• Honorable Mention — “Embodiment of Vengeance” by Trent Lane (sophomore from Houston, Texas)

Nonfiction

• First Place — “Grit Runs in the Family” by Luis Garcia (freshman from San Antonio, Texas)
• Honorable Mention — “Reckless but Breathing” by Ivin Kollabathula (freshman from Manado, Indonesia)

Editorial

• First Place — “Lights, Camera, Representation” by Perla Lopez
• Honorable Mention — “Treating Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis” by Jazmin Morales (freshman from Topeka, Kan.)

Poetry

• First Place — “Scars” by Cindy Smith (freshman from Park City, Kan.)
• Honorable Mention — “Cosmic Love” by Suryansh Shetty (sophomore from Auckland, New Zealand)

According to Miriam Barton, English professor and contest coordinator, this year’s contest featured a particularly strong and diverse collection of submissions, highlighting the assorted voices and creative perspectives found across the Hesston College community.

“Each year, ‘Acuity’ offers a glimpse into the creativity and thoughtfulness of our students, but this year’s entries especially reflected a willingness to take risks and tell meaningful stories,” Barton shares. “These writers explored personal experiences, social issues and imaginative worlds with honesty and originality, and it is exciting to celebrate the talent represented in this year’s journal.”

Students were recognized during a campus formation event on April 29, where first place winners had the opportunity to read all or part of their winning entry to those in attendance.

The 2026 edition of “Acuity” showcases not only the award-winning literary pieces, but also artwork created by Hesston College students, continuing the journal’s tradition of celebrating creative expression across campus.