Shady Side Academy junior Daeja Sanders won first place in poetry for grades 11-12 at the Creative Arts Festival sponsored by Prime Stage Theatre. Sanders was recognized on Friday, May 11, prior to a performance of The Diary of Anne Frank, and had her writing on display at the theater that evening.

The festival's theme was "Humanity in the Face of Adversity," and students had three topics to choose from: Overcoming Adversity, Who Am I in This World? and Lighting the Darkness. Submissions were in the form of a short story, play, poem or visual artwork and divided into two age levels: grades 9-10 and grades 11-12. Sanders' submission included two poems, titled How to Care for Cattle and Distorted Games.

As a first-place winner, Sanders received two tickets to all of next season's productions, and her poem will be performed by Prime Stage Theatre's professional actors during next season's productions.

Congratulations, Daeja!