COLUMBIA, Olivia Ferrara, a Columbia State Community College student and Columbia native, has earned national recognition for her short story "Ears to Hear, and Eyes to See," which took first place in the Short Fiction category of the Sigma Kappa Delta Honor Society's national journal, Hedera helix. The journal collects short stories, poetry, photography, essays, and other creative work submitted by community college students from across the country, making Ferrara's first-place finish a meaningful achievement in a competitive field. She also received a $500 award for her work.
The story centers on Emily, a caregiver for Elizabeth, a four-year-old with cerebral palsy who cannot move independently and does not speak. Written from Emily's first-person perspective, the story explores the daily reality of caring for a child whom others might overlook or pity, and Emily's determined effort to truly see and connect with her, communication barriers and all. Ferrara said her inspiration came directly from her own life: she works as a nanny for a nonspeaking girl with cerebral palsy, and the relationship she describes in the story reflects the bond she has built in real life. The story is fictionalized and dramatized, she noted, but its heart is genuine.
Dr. Jessica Evans, Columbia State associate professor of English and SKD faculty sponsor, said she was overjoyed when Ferrara came to her office to share the news of her first-place finish. Evans described Ferrara as an active and enthusiastic member of the chapter. Ferrara said her hope is simple: that readers come away understanding that real connection requires only patience and the willingness to truly see another person, not the ability to speak or move in a particular way.
It is a message worth hearing in any community. For Columbia and Maury County, it is also a reminder of the talent being developed right here on Hampshire Pike. Columbia State continues to produce students who compete, and win, at the national level, and Ferrara's recognition is the kind of achievement the whole county can take pride in. Her full story is available to read through the Columbia State website.