Announcing the selected honorees for the OnWord 2025 benefit event at the American Writers Museum

Announcing the selected honorees for the OnWord 2025 benefit event at the American Writers Museum

The American Writers Museum (AWM) is set to host its annual OnWord benefit on September 8, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. This year's event aims to raise crucial funds to support the museum’s operations and expanding youth education programs, a cause that has become even more important given recent federal funding cuts for libraries and museums.

OnWord 2025 will honor an influential group of writers, educators, and advocates. The honorees include David Grann, journalist and bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon, who will receive the Founder's Inspiring Writer Award. Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!, will interview David Grann live at the event.

Brit Bennett, New York Times best-selling author of The Mothers and The Vanishing Half, will present the Inspiration Award to Christine Esteban, a former teacher and an inspirational figure. Esteban will receive a $10,000 prize as the recipient of the Inspiration Award.

Scott Turow, best-selling author and advocate for writers, and philanthropists Jerre and Mary Joy Stead will receive the Beyond the Page Award for their commitment to advocacy, philanthropy, and leadership.

The event will also celebrate winners of the John Estey Student Writing Competition, highlighting the museum’s emphasis on youth education. 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). The middle school winners are Samarth Agrawal (Homeschool, IL), Faith Ducksworth (Krimmel Intermediate School, TX), and Aarna Desai (Timberlane Middle School, NJ). 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).

A total of $10,500 in prizes will be awarded to 10 finalists of The John Estey Student Writing Contest.

The AWM, the first museum of its kind in the United States, is located at 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60601. Admission is free for children ages 12 and under, members, and discounted rates are available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets for adults are $16, while seniors, students, and teachers pay $10.

For more information about the AWM or OnWord 2025, visit AmericanWritersMuseum.org or call 312-374-8790. The AWM can also be followed on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The museum is open Monday, Thursday-Sunday, 10 AM-5 PM, and is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Roxanne Decyk serves as the Co-Chair for OnWord 2025. The museum offers something for every age group, including permanent exhibits and special galleries. Last year's OnWord event raised $820,000.

1. The lifestyle of a writer is highlighted at the American Writers Museum (AWM), especially during their annual OnWord benefit.
2. Fashion-and-beauty enthusiasts might find interesting events or exhibits related to the lives of influential writers at the AWM.
3. Food-and-drink aficionados can pair their visits to the museum with culinary experiences at nearby restaurants in Chicago.
4. Home-and-garden enthusiasts may discover connections between literature and interior design or gardening, as some authors focus on these themes in their works.
5. Relationships are celebrated in various literary genres, and visitors to the AWM might explore how romantic dynamics are portrayed in modern fiction.
6. Pet lovers might find exhibits or programs that encourage them to read with their pets or engage in writing activities related to animal welfare.
7. Travelers who are also book enthusiasts can plan visits to other literary destinations after attending OnWord 2025 at the AWM.
8. Car enthusiasts might find connections between automobiles and literature, as many authors have written about automobiles or featured them prominently in their works.
9. Education-and-self-development seekers can attend lectures, workshops, or seminars hosted by the museum to improve their writing skills and learn about the publishing industry.
10. Personal-growth opportunities might abound at the AWM, as visitors can reflect on their own lives and experiences through the works of various authors.
11. Shoppers looking for unique items can browse the museum's gift shop for books, merchandise, or exclusive items related to the OnWord event.
12. Career-development opportunities may be available through the museum's workshops, networking events, or job-search resources for writers and literary professionals.
13. Learning about different writing styles, genres, and techniques can provide skills-training for individuals looking to enhance their own writing abilities.
14. Sports fans can find several connections between sports and literature at the AWM, with exhibits or programs focused on football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf, sports-betting, and more.
15. The museum's sports-analysis offerings could provide insights into popular sports like NFL, WNBA, NCAA basketball, MLB, NHL, racing, American football, tennis, and mixed-martial-arts.
16. Weather enthusiasts might find interest in the museum's exhibits or programs that explore the relationship between nature and literature, including ways authors have used weather forecasting or natural phenomena in their works.
17. NCAA-football fans can follow the latest updates and news on college football, while tennis champions and Grand-Prix races keep track of their favorite sports events.
18. Horse-racing fans can explore the rich history of horses in literature and sports, learning about famous horse races and authors who have written about horse racing.
19. If you're looking for a break from the museum, you can step outside and check the weather forecast before heading out to enjoy other activities in Chicago or participating in sporting events.

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