Featuring David Grann, Brit Bennett, and Peter Sagal in a celebration of writers, teachers, and students
Chicago, Illinois (August 5, 2025) — The American Writers Museum (AWM) will host its annual OnWord benefit on September 8, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago to raise vital funds to support the museum’s operations, including its expanding youth education programs. With recent cuts to federal funding for libraries and museums, support for institutions like the AWM is more critical than ever. Last year’s event raised $820,000, and this year promises to build on that success.
Continuing its tradition to center and celebrate writers who inspire, OnWord 2025 will honor an influential group of writers, educators, and advocates whose contributions have elevated literature, learning, and civic engagement.
One of the evening’s honorees is David Grann, journalist and bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a finalist for the 2017 National Book Awards and the basis for the 2023 Martin Scorsese film. Grann will receive the Founder’s Inspiring Writer Award and will be interviewed live by returning guest presenter Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!
Additional honors for the evening include:
- Inspiration Award to be presented by Brit Bennett, New York Times best-selling author of The Vanishing Half and The Mothers. Each year, the AWM selects an established writer to nominate a teacher who inspired them. Bennett will be bestowing the award on her former teacher, Christine Esteban, who will receive a $10,000 prize.
- Beyond the Page Award to Scott Turow and Jerre and Mary Joy Stead, highlighting their commitment to advocacy, philanthropy, and leadership to uplift writers around Chicago, the nation, and the world.
- The John Estey Student Writing Contest Awards to the winners of the sixth annual contest. This creative writing competition is a cornerstone of AWM’s ongoing initiatives to foster development and motivation for young writers. Teachers were invited to submit entries of any genre from 3rd to 12th grade students using a quote from Ursula K. Le Guin “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end” as the prompt. $10,500 in prizes will be awarded to 10 finalists:
- The high school winners are Alicia Fischi (Fayetteville-Manlius High School, NY), Asmi Tyagi (Delhi Public School Sector 30, Noida Uttar Pradesh, India), Edward Lee (Bergen County Academies, NJ), and Lexi Lin (Sydney Girls High School, New South Wales, Australia).
- The middle school winners are Samarth Agrawal (Thomas G. Scullen Middle School, IL), Faith Ducksworth (Krimmel Intermediate School, TX), and Aarna Desai (Timberlane Middle School, NJ).
- The elementary school winners are Ada Bartlett (Falk Laboratory School, PA), Sienna Wong (Dilworth Elementary School, CA), and Shira Kerchner (Beverly Farms Elementary School, MD).
Bringing together acclaimed writers, dedicated teachers, and promising young voices, OnWord 2025 champions the museum’s mission to celebrate the past, promote the present, and inspire the future of American writing.
“At a time when we are facing threats to books, libraries, and the teaching of literature, the American Writers Museum preserves the rich history of writing in America. Thousands of students come to the museum, and we bring the museum to thousands more through our John Estey Writing Competition, teacher training, and related programs. OnWord is a wonderful celebration of literature, and an opportunity to support these crucial programs.”
— Roxanne Decyk, OnWord 2025 Co-Chair.
For more information and to register for OnWord 2025, click here.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUM
The American Writers Museum is the first museum of its kind in the United States. The mission of
the American Writers Museum is to excite audiences about the impact of American writers — past,
present, and future — in shaping our collective histories, cultures, identities, and daily lives. The
museum is located at 180 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60601, and offers something for every age
group, including permanent exhibits and special galleries highlighting America’s favorite works and
the authors behind them. Tickets to the museum are $16 for adults, $10 for seniors, students, and
teachers. Free for members and children ages 12 and under. To inquire about discounted rates for
groups of 10 or more, including adults, student travel groups, and University students, visit
AmericanWritersMuseum.org/visit/groups/ or call 312-374-8765. Museum hours are Monday,
Thursday—Sunday, 10 AM—5 PM. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, visit
AmericanWritersMuseum.org or call 312-374-8790. Follow AWM on Facebook, X, Instagram, and
YouTube.
I would love to read Alicia Fischi (Fayetteville-Manlius High School, NY)’s text. Where is it?
Hi Adauto,
Thank you for your interest in the John Estey Student Writing Competition. We are not sharing that student’s piece for reasons that are personal to them. The other winning submissions can be found here. Thank you for your understanding.