About the Founder...

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Bryan Duong Milstead is a 16-year-old Asian American student based in the Shenandoah Valley. He was a national winner of the 2022 "Power to Explore" essay challenge and has had two journalistic articles published on the "Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisers" (VAJTA) website, displaying his immense enthusiasm for writing. He also competed in the National Spelling Bee twice (2022 and 2023), is published in 20+ literary magazines for poetry, and earned regional accolades in the 2024-2025 Scholastic Art and Writing Contest!

 

Bryan started the Valley Verbomania Literary Review to encourage fellow teen writers to chase their publishing dreams and support their artistic pursuits. Additionally, he believes in the power of intersectionality -- most notably, between the humanities and STEM -- to drive positive change. In the future, he aspires to pursue a career in bioengineering or biotechnology, while still maintaining a passion for writing! 

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