Kristen Bankston is the winner of the inaugural youth playwriting competition for the Mississippi Theatre Association.

Kristen's winning play earned her a $250 cash prize and reimbursement for travel expenses.

A staged reading of her play will take place next week at the Mississippi Theatre Association's State Festival in Natchez.

This is the inaugural year for this competition and Kristen was one of four students who submitted plays. There were three readers and the final judge was professional playwright Mark Dunn, who will be attending the festival and will help with the staged reading.