Congratulations to Ruthie Prillaman, recipient of the 2012 Fran Abrams Creative Writing Award! A recent graduate of Richard Montgomery High School, Ruthie will continue her studies this fall at Yale, where she plans to major in English with concentration in Creative Writing. Join us on June 12 for a reading of her work!

"I’ve always had an affinity for writing. When I was younger, I wrote little poems about box turtles and baby lions in my school notebook. I thought writing was a natural thing that everybody did when they thought of something interesting. My father encouraged me to write by giving me mountains of books and reading me stories he’d written every night before bed. In high school, I discovered that I had a serious passion for writing. I started carrying around a little journal and writing bits of poems on homework, napkins, whatever I had at the moment of inspiration. During the summers, I had the tremendous opportunities to attend writing workshops at, first, the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop and then the Iowa Young Writers Studio. Both workshops introduced me to a tribe of other young writers, people who shared my attitude about life, the need to observe it critically, to record it, to reflect upon it and organize it into something meaningful and beautiful. My experiences at both programs convinced me that I wanted to pursue a career in writing, to join the writing community and immerse myself in the literature I love and the creative process I crave."

Featured Author: Susan Coll

The award reception featured a reading by local author, Susan Coll. Susan Coll is the author of the novels Beach Week, Acceptance, Rockville Pike, and karlmarx.com. She has worked as a travel and feature writer, and has also written a few op-eds and book reviews, published in such places as The Asian Wall Street Journal, the International Herald Tribune, the Far Eastern Economic Review, the Washington Post, and NPR.org. “Fire Safety Week,“ a short story set in New Delhi, was broadcast on the BBC World Service. She once wrote an essay about overscheduled kids and parents in the Washington Post. She is the Editorial and Programming Director at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC. Find her online at susancoll.com.

About the Fran Abrams Creative Writing Award

This award is given to a high school senior graduating in the class of 2012 who is enrolled in a public or non-public high school in Montgomery County to benefit his/her pursuit of a creative writing related career. The $1,000 Fran Abrams Award for 2012 will be granted following a juried selection process that is based upon artistic merit of the original work submitted and the applicant’s potential for a career related to creative writing, not financial need.

The Fran Abrams Creative Writing Award was established in July 2010 to celebrate Abrams' contributions to Montgomery County's cultural community. Former AHCMC Grants Director and Interim Public Art Trust Director, Abrams announced her retirement from AHCMC effective July 2010. During her nearly 10 years at AHCMC, Abrams oversaw the creation of Montgomery County’s first Cultural Plan, AHCMC’s 2007 Strategic Plan and served as the agency’s Interim Director. Abrams retired after 41 years of service to Montgomery County, including 10 years with the County Government, more than 20 years in non-profit organizations focused on early childhood education, arts and the environment.

AHCMC CEO Suzan Jenkins notes, "Fran's stalwart creativity and vision are a testament to the leadership and dedication she brought to the Arts and Humanities Council. We are proud to continue her legacy for years to come by inspiring students with the Fran Abrams Creative Writing Award."

Abrams looks forward to spending time pursuing her personal artistic expression in polymer clay. She also serves as the manager of the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery and Music Room. For further information about her work visit franabrams.com.

Contribute to the fund

Donations for the Fran Abrams Creative Writing Award are being accepted via our secure online donation form or by mail at AHCMC, Attn: Fran Abrams Award, 801 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910.