Twenty-three years ago....

Twenty-three years ago I competed in a competition called The Power of the Pen. It's a day long writing competition for middle school students that happens all over Ohio. You write to prompts, get judged and if you get a high enough score, you move on and on until you reach state! It's kind of like sports but for writers.
I LOVED it with a passion that only a middle school student can have.
Today (TODAY!), I get to judge the best of the best in our regional competition as a special author judge. I will be judging with Cleveland writing buds Leah Clifford, Scott Tracey and Colleen Clayton. I am beside myself with excitement.
My eighth grade self would have flipped out if she knew one day she would be there judging the competition as a published author.
It's amazing to think that I've made a full circle (as have Leah and Scott, who both also competed in TPOTP when they were in grade school). What an encouraging message to all the kids who will be writing there today. I believe so much in The Power of the Pen, and I certain that one day some of them will be published writers and back judging the competition.