3rd-place winner has loved reading all of her life

Third-place Young Writers winner Katie Ratliff has loved reading, words and writing for as long as she can remember. Her dad instilled that interest, reading to her constantly when she was young. Now, as a senior at Lehi High School, she wants to impart that love onto others.

She started volunteering at the Rippy Literacy center this fall to tutor those having problems with reading.

"I love to read, and I can't comprehend that there are people that are not able, too," said Ratliff.

Her favorite books lie among the classics, but down the road her dream job would be writing for National Geographic — combining her two loves, writing and traveling.

Currently Ratliff is a Deseret Morning News/KSL Sterling Scholar nominee in English, the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, a member of the National Honor Society and in the Bravo Show Choir at her school.

After graduating she hopes to attend Brigham Young University-Idaho and study journalism. Ratliff said her winnings of $250 will go into her college fund.