Six high school students from across Los Angeles County will hear their science-fiction short stories performed live by professional actors Saturday afternoon at Vroman’s Bookstore, in a ceremony that will also announce the winners of this year’s Tomorrow Prize and Green Feather Award. The two-hour event takes place outdoors on the Vroman’s Paseo and is free to the public, with RSVP required.
The Tomorrow Prize, now in its 12th year, honors high school students for excellence in science-fiction writing. First, second, and third-place Tomorrow Prize winners receive cash prizes of $250, $150, and $100, with the first-place story published in L.A. Parent Magazine. The Green Feather Award, co-presented with the Nature Nexus Institute, recognizes a sci-fi story focused on environmental themes; the winner receives $250 and online publication.
This year’s celebrity readers include Monnae Michaell, whose television credits span “Law & Order,” “Survival of the Thickest,” and “The Vince Staples Show,” and Stephanie Czajkowski, whose work includes “Star Trek: Picard,” “Doom Patrol,” and “MacGruber.” Past ceremonies have drawn actors from across film and television.
The Omega Sci-Fi Project is the only program in California offering science-fiction writing instruction and recognition to high school-aged students, according to Project Director Rosalind Helfand. It is run by the arts and education nonprofit Light Bringer Project. Sponsors include L.A. Parent Magazine, Nature Nexus Institute, and Vroman’s Bookstore. This year’s Green Feather Award has already been announced: Hollywood High School student Michaela Tobitt, for her story “Last Life.”
The Tomorrow Prize and Green Feather Award Celebrity Readings and Honors will run on Saturday, May 16 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Vroman’s Bookstore Paseo, 695 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 449-5320 or visit vromansbookstore.com. Admission is free; RSVP required.
