Western Region

Including Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, and Preble Counties

Registration is open on a first-come, first-served basis. Register for one District event only.

Western District 1
Saturday, January 24, 2026

*Inclement Weather Date: 01/31/26

Jacob Coy Middle School

1786 Dayton Xenia Rd.

Xenia, OH 45385

Coordinator: Kristina Minton

Or

Western District 2

Saturday, February 14, 2026 

*Inclement Weather Date: 02/21/26

Kenton Ridge Middle School

4444 Middle Urbana Rd.

Springfield, OH 45503

Coordinator: Emily Comer

Qualifiers from both events will advance to:

Western Regional Tournament 
Saturday, March 14, 2026

*Inclement Weather Date: 03/21/26

Shawnee Middle School

1675 E. Possum Rd.

Springfield, OH 45502

Coordinator: Darcy Leis

Who's Going

Darcy Leis

Darcy started her journey with Power of the Pen almost thirty years ago as a 7th-grade writer. 

Currently, Darcy teaches 7th-grade language arts at Shawnee Middle School in Springfield; she also teaches College Credit Plus literature courses at Shawnee High School. 

In both 2014 and 2020, Darcy was honored to receive Power of the Pen’s Sara T. Landess Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2020, she received her district’s Teacher of the Year award. In 2022, Darcy won the Clark County Excellence in Teaching award.

Darcy earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Wittenberg University and her Master’s degree in Literary and Textual Analysis from Bowling Green State University.

For Darcy, it is an honor to be part of an organization that elevates the stories young writers have to tell.