Julia Kennedy said she was inspired by a family memory to write her short story, “Thanksgiving Music.”

“It’s based on things that really happened,” said the 29-year-old Bakersfield College student. “We were supposed to write something about a memory of Thanksgiving or a holiday. I chose my family and me singing in my mom’s house … my brother playing the guitar, me singing. I love making music. It’s an emotional time, and a lot of fun, and it brings us closer together. It just captured the emotion of my family.”

Kennedy’s short story, along with her poem, “Danielle,” won the Kern Community College District level of the League For Innovation’s writing competition. Her work, along with other winners form BC, Porterville, and Cerro Coso Colleges, have been forwarded as entries in the national league contest.

“Danielle” began as a sentence she wrote in class: “Danielle can get mad all of a sudden.”

“I just kept that sentence in my story. ‘Danielle’ is about a 16-year-old boy who runs into his old babysitter in his neighborhood, how he tells her about his father’s problems with alcohol, and asks for help, but she can’t help him like he needs. It’s exploring issues of alcohol, with themes of growing up, and having a crush on an older girl.”

Kennedy said the story reminds her of her home in Massachusetts.

“When my mom read it she said she could picture what I was describing.”

Kennedy, who has a bachelor’s degree in history from Vassar, sets time aside each day to write.

“To me it’s very important to have a time during the day-I usually give myself one hour-when I’m most successful, usually shortly after I wake up in the morning spend some quiet time, I eat, then I will sit down and write.

“I’m still really trying to learn from the people I consider good writers, who are disciplined,” she said. “I’m very happy to have won in this category, I’m thankful that the judges considered my work.”

She said English Professor Dr. Nancy Edwards encouraged her to enter the contest.

The League For Innovation is an international organization for community colleges only throughout the U.S., Edwards said.

The first level of the competition was only within the individual colleges. The winning pieces there went on to district where a panel of judges picked the best to be sent on to the national level.

Judges for BC included history instructor Rosa Garza and English instructors Brenda Freaney, David Moton and Edwards. The district judging panel included two instructors from each college.

“We each brought our own evaluating skills into the judging committee,” said Edwards, who teaches creative writing.

Winners receive $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third. Only the first places are forwarded on to the national level. There, an anthology will be published representing a selection of the best entries from all of the league’s community colleges.

A half million students participate in the nationwide contest, said Edwards. The only requirement to enter is being enrolled in a community college. There is no fee, and students with any major, of any age or background can enter.

“The competition enhances and fosters creativity, provides opportunity. Just entering the contests chance to meet a deadline, and compete with other students. I think it’s a wonderful thing.

“The focus is on recognizing students, and giving credit to students,” she said.

The contest has four categories: short story, personal essay, poetry and one-act play, said Gary Enns, who teaches English at Cerro Coso College.

“We looked at structure, prose style, story line, character and theme; and for the poetry, form, figurative language and metaphor. General literary merit,” said Enns. “Pieces were inherently subjective in nature. A lot of the pieces were very good.”

Enns said the purpose of the contest is to encourage a literary environment. The international organization focuses on technological innovation, by awarding literary achievement, and promoting unity in the colleges in the district.

A reception/awards ceremony was held Monday in the Fireside Room. The results at the national level should be announced later this month.

“Hopefully this will continue, and keep improving, and can get more publicity,” said Enns.