16-year-old Awinongya wins College Storytelling Competition

The Chicagoland Intercollegiate Story Slam was held on Wednesday March 6th at East-West University in Chicago’s South Loop.

Competition was high Ezekiel Collins represented Lewis University with a story about a wild night out during his study abroad program in Japan, Ollie van den Huevel from Columbia College Chicago told a story about a racially motivated physical attack they endured on Michigan Avenue.

Representing East-West University Shoaib Vahora told a story about not being accepted for his choice of non-binary fashion by some of his relatives. Alyssa DiVarco from Columbia College told a story about a massive trauma she endured as a teenager when her house burned down nearly killing her brother.

But it was Joseph JoJo Awinongya who won the Championship belt and the $500 prize with his story about facing a rival in boxing who had beaten him four consecutive times and finally JoJo found a way to win and has gone on to win 20 National Championships in boxing.

JoJo is only 16-years-old having graduated high school early and already has earned an associates degree and is now a scholarship student at the University of Saint Francis. All in all it was a stellar event created by East-West University Professor Dr. Bill Hillmann who is an author, storyteller, journalist, and was recently featured in a CNN Documentary about the running of the bulls Spain.

You can listen to these young storytellers and Dr. Hillmann in conversation with Chicago Tribune Senior Columnist Rick Kogan on WGN Radio last weekend if you follow the link below.

From Sammy Heywood Okine