"Goodbye, Esper," a haunting story about death and deliverance, has won a Little Compton student recognition in a statewide short fiction contest, and her work will be published in an upcoming anthology.

Wilbur McMahon Schools seventh grader Marjorie Leary's story follows a young girl from Little Compton as she flees into the woods after playing a role in the tragic, but accidental, death of a friend.

The story received a notable award from Write Rhode Island, a writing contest open to Rhode Island students from grades seven through 12 created by School One in Providence and Goat Hill, a Providence writing workshop. Her story received a notable mention and she and other contest winners will be honored at an event at the Newport Art Museum early in April.

Write Rhode Island's goal is to promote and celebrate the work of students by incorporating Rhode Island as a theme in a creative piece of prose. Of the more than 175 entries from across the Ocean State, more than 90 percent of students cited teachers and librarians as their introduction to Write Rhode Island.

“From beginning to end, this competition was designed for Rhode Island’s young writers. We wanted to provide students, and teachers, with writing and publishing opportunities outside the classroom,” said Diana DeCesaris Champa, Director of Literary Engagement at School One and competition’s coordinator.

“All of the students who submitted this year had creative and remarkable ways of expressing their experiences and perspectives. "