Students at Tippecanoe High School, both athletically and academically, are constantly making waves in their community as well as in the outside world. Specifically, Audrey Kininger and Sarah George represent Tippecanoe’s bright minds on a literary level. There are many literary opportunities for those at Tippecanoe High School to take advantage of and use to express their creativity in writing and comprehension. Recently, those interested were able to read the novel North by Brad Kessler. As well as reading this novel, students were offered the opportunity to see Brad during a visit. This visit and novel sparked an essay contest in which anyone who read the book could participate. Audrey and Sarah expressed in their essays their knowledge of the reading and how the novel related to them and affected them personally. This led them to win the contest and earn their attendance at the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Gala.

This exciting excursion introduced the girls to others interested in literary aspects, professional writers, and academics. One of them is Gilbert King, an author and Pulitzer Prize winner who has visited Tippecanoe High School in past years. Sarah and Audrey also met with the first African American and first woman Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. These pinnacles in current literature introduced the students to multiple other writers and members of the Dayton literary community. The experience allowed for connections to be made with others who are passionate about the topics that Audrey and Sarah share, as well as allowing for an expression of their creativity.

Audrey and Sarah were not alone in attending this event; they were accompanied by their incredibly supportive English teacher, Aimee Noel. Noel is passionate about the creativity and intelligence of her students, as well as the opportunities and impact of the gala and its connections. In an interview about the gala, Noel said, “So often we publicly champion professionals in the medical and science fields, and rightly so, but that spotlight is not balanced with regards to the effect that words, that language, that literature can have on warring factions or an individual's own heart.” Noel explained how deeply literature matters, and through her support, she can share this importance with not only Sarah and Audrey but also many other students interested in writing and reading.

The high school and Ms. Noel have created multiple avenues for students to express themselves and their creativity, progress, and connect with authors and other writers. The gala and author visits are just two of the many activities on the list. Tippecanoe High School has hosted many Dayton Literary Peace Prize winners since 2019, with the help of donations and grants from community partners. The school also allows students to enter contests similar to the one previously mentioned and publishes an annual collection of stories in the “Inferno,” a student-created and written collaboration of stories, poems, and artwork.

Tippecanoe Students Audrey Kininger and Sarah George have paved the way for their peers to express and celebrate their interests on a literary level. The girls not only attended the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Gala, but also exemplified the excellence and intelligence of the hardworking students at Tippecanoe High School while inspiring other students to embrace their love for reading and writing. Their dedication to what they love and their talent perpetuates the tradition of excellence our local high school strives to uphold. With the help of their English teacher as well as their newfound connections and wisdom, Sarah and Audrey are using their writing to become voices for not only their classmates but potentially their generation.

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