Grim headlines of war and recession have dampened your holiday spirit somewhat, the Palo Alto Weekly may have just the solution.

This year's winning entries in our Short Story Contest offer creative and thoughtful diversions from these uncertain times. Now in its 16th year, the contest attracted hundreds of entries from adults, young adults (15-17), teens (12-14) and children. This issue presents the top three stories in the adult competition; next week, we'll publish the winning entries in the youth categories. This week's short stories reflect a rather introspective bent. The first-place entry, "Millionaire" by David Fromm, follows a character's wistful remembrance of his high school basketball days. Second-place winner Harriotte Aaron delves deeply into family issues in the lively "Cousins." The third-place entry, "Rhubarb Pies" by Lionel deMaine, details a father-son relationship during a long journey in a car. Selecting the top three stories from mountains of qualified candidates was not an easy task. However, the final choices in the adult competition were left in the capable hands of our distinguished panel of judges: Tom Parker, Ellen Sussman and Kim Silveira Wolterbeck. We included the judges comments along with the winning entries in this issue to demonstrate what separated these particular stories from the rest of the pack. Thanks to all who entered, and don't feel discouraged if you didn't win. The competition is quite tough, but you may find that next year is your time.

First Place
David Fromm, Millionaire

Second Place
Harriotte Aaron, Cousins

Third Place
Lionel de Maine
Rhubarb Pies

It is our pleasure to bring you the youth prize winners in the Palo Alto Weekly's 16th annual Short Story Contest. The winning adult entries were published last week.

The youth winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of judges. The 9- to 11-year-old and 12- to 14-year-old divisions were judged by three local people with a longtime interest in books for the younger set: Palo Alto children's book author Caryn Huberman Yaccowitz, Palo Alto Children's Librarian Katy Obringer and local children's and adult book author Nancy Etchemendy. The young adult (14- to 17-year-old) winners were chosen by judges who are local writers and teachers of writing: Tom Parker, Ellen Sussman and Kim Silveira Wolterbeek.

The winning entries this year showed particular imagination, with topics ranging from individual reactions to the Sept. 11 attacks to genetic engineering to a grasshopper's view of the world.

We would like to thank all who entered the 16th annual Palo Alto Weekly Short Story Contest and encourage you to enter again next year.

Children 9-11

First Place
Gabriel Durbin Lewis, "Shipwrecked"

Second Place
Rachel Skokowski, "The Grasshopper"

Third Place
Kelly O'Reilly, "Adriana"

Teen 12-14

Second Place
Avy Lamm, "Catastrophe"

Third Place
Ellen Lathrop, "Blade"

Young Adult 15-17

First Place
Luke M. Rickford, "The Stray"

Second Place
Laurel Lathrop, "Bird"

Third Place
Adam Breckenridge "Grease Line"

JUDGES

TOM PARKER, Novelist & Writing Instructor, Foothill College, UC Extension Program
ELLEN SUSSMAN, Writer, writing teacher at UC Berkeley Extension & private classes
KIM SILVEIRA WOLTERRBEEK, Short story writer, Co-director of the Foothill Writers' Conference
CARYN HUBERMAN YACOWITZ
KATY OBRINGER
NANCY ETCHEMENDY