'Why' wins at Cutler Academy Awards

"Why" took top prize at the sixth annual Cutler Academy Awards Thursday at the Cutler Middle School in Groton. The competition honors student screenwriters and filmmakers whose work is sent to Los Angeles and judged by industry professionals including Jason Filardi, Peter Filardi and Peter Stone, all of Mystic.

"Terry Awards" commemorate the late Terry Purcell, a former teacher at the Cutler School, and are given in a variety of categories.

This year's winners are: third prize, unproduced screenplay: Mackenzie Aldridge, "Bones"; second prize, unproduced screenplay, Mary Gregory, "The Letter"; best unproduced screenplay, Carolyn Ellis, "Fashion Feuds"; best produced screenplay, Jacob Carlson, "Why"; best actress, Seda Sahin, "Midnight Eyeshadow"; best actor, Jacob Carlson, "Why"; and best picture, Jacob Carlson, Sam Kokomoor, Sophie Tibbals, Max Seifert, Andy Kidd, Stephen Beale and Eamon Costello; "Why."