During a recent red carpet celebration at the WQED Fred Rogers Studio, winners of the 2019 WQED Writers Contest (made possible locally by the EQT Foundation) heard their names called.

In May, the public was invited to vote for the “Reader’s Choice Winner” from 27 finalists selected from more than 1,000 entries received from throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New Jersey.

According to WQED, 5,808 votes were submitted via the online portal.

This year’s Reader’s Choice Winner is second grade student Arjun Kairi of Pittsburgh for his story, “Our Mother,” with 2,013 votes.

Additional regional winners are:

KINDERGARTEN

Jack Ford, Bethel Park, first place

Evelyn Mascaro, Hampton Township, second place

Sarah Sakowitz, Upper St. Clair, third place

Congratulations to Kindergartner Evelyn Mascaro, first grader Elijah Wharton and third grader Lily Haberman, who were named winners in the 2019 WQED Writers Contest.https://t.co/YzmHCRAgHs pic.twitter.com/iovkipRUTg

— Hampton Twp SD (@Hampton_Talbots) June 3, 2019

FIRST GRADE

Elijah Wharton, Hampton Township, first place

Alexis King, Bethel Park, second place

Gianna Nickola, Peters Township, honorable mention

SECOND GRADE

Isaac Chapman, New Castle, second place

Olivia Anderson, Bethel Park, third place

Aarav Parthiban, Scott Township, honorable mention

THIRD GRADE

Alexis Faltot, Natrona Heights, first place

Sydney Kellander, Bethel Park, second place

Lily Haberman, Hampton Township, third place

Devin Kilpela, Pittsburgh, honorable mention

FOURTH GRADE

Adele Stamenov, Bethel Park, first place

Connor Dickey, Brentwood, third place

Annaleigh Dwulit, Mount Lebanon, honorable mention

FIFTH GRADE

Clare Troll, Somerset, first place

Samantha Strope, Jefferson Hills, third place

Felicity Koble, West Deer, honorable mention

STEM

Vihaan Rathi, Pittsburgh, kindergarten-first grade

Arjun Kairi, Pittsburgh, second-third grade

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