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Funding for this project is provided by
the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the Institute of Museum
and Library Services and the West Virginia Library Commission.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West Virginia Center for the Book Announces State Writing
Awards
State Winners Will Advance for National Competition
April 20, 2006
Contact: Karen Goff, Coordinator
Center for the Book
Phone: 304-558-3978
Charleston, West Virginia--Leila Feuchtenberger, a 4th grade student at
Bluefield Intermediate School, Bayan Misaghi, an 8th grade student at John Adams
Middle School, and Mashal Sheikh, a 9th grade student from Charleston have taken
top honors in this year’s West Virginia Letters About Literature writing
contest. Judges selected Feuchtenberger’s letter to Helen Lester, author of
Tacky the Penguin, as the first place winner in Level I competition for children
in grades 4 through 6. Misaghi’s letter to Lois Lowry, author of The Giver, was
selected as the first place winner in Level II competition for children in
grades 7 through 8 and Sheikh's letter to Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club,
was selected as first place winner for competition level III (grades 9 through
12). All first place essays advanced for national competition.
Additional awards were as follows:
Ian Lovern, 6th grade student at Bluefield Middle School, Level I Runner-Up for
his letter to John Hersey author of Hiroshima.
Maher Shammaa, 5th grade student at Chamberlain Elementary School, Level I
Runner-Up for his letter to Christopher Paolini author of Eragon.
Maranda Crane, 4th grade student at Montcalm Elementary, Level I Honorable
Mention for her letter to Katherine Patterson author of Bridge to Terabithia.
Makennah Lewis, 5th grade student at Roosevelt Elementary School, Level I
Honorable Mention for her letter to the various authors of Chicken Soup for the
Preteen Soul.
Abigail McClung, 6th grade Fairmont Catholic School, Level I Honorable Mention
for her letter to Jerry Spinelli author of Loser.
Tyler Richards, 5th grade student at Mercer School, Level I Honorable Mention
for his letter to C.S. Lewis author of The Magician’s Nephew.
Name withheld but prize awarded for 6th grade student, Level I Honorable Mention
for a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. author of “I Have a Dream.”
Lauren Dittebrand, 8th grade student at Elkview Middle School, Level II
Runner-Up for her letter to Lois Lowry author of The Giver.
Sara Kurian, 8th grade student from Morgantown, Level II Runner-Up for her
letter to Frances Hodgson Burnett author of A Little Princess.
Jennie Bailey, 7th grade student at Bluefield Middle School, Level II Honorable
Mention for her letter to Rosalind Wiseman author of Queen Bees and Wanna Bees.
Sarah Cavaness, 8th grade student at John Adams Middle School, Level II
Honorable Mention for her letter to Lois Lenski author of Indian Captive.
Sophie Greenburg, 8th grade student at Princeton Middle School, Level II
Honorable Mention for her letter to Ann Brashares author of The Sisterhood of
the Traveling Pants.
Taylor Robinson, 8th grade student at Harpers Ferry Middle School, Level II
Honorable Mention for his letter to John Peterson author of The Littles.
Jessica Smith, 8th grade student at Beverly Hills Middle School, Level II
Honorable Mention for her letter to Lurlene McDaniel author of Journey of Hope.
Name Withheld, 12th grade student, Level III Runner-Up for a letter to Nicholas
Sparks author of A Walk to Remember.
Ashley Yoho, 10th grade student at Magnolia High School, Level III Runner-Up for
her letter to Virginia Woolf author of Mrs. Dalloway.
Cathy Caudill, 12th grade student at Capital High School, Level III Honorable
Mention for her letter to John Knowles author of A Separate Peace.
Kailey Imlay, 9th grade student at Huntington High School, Level III Honorable
Mention for her letter to John
Paula Kaufman, 12th grade student at South Charleston High School, Level III
Honorable Mention for her letter to
Taylor Shepherd, 10th grade student at Magnolia High School, Level III Honorable
Mention for his letter to
Preston Sundin, 11th grade student at Notre Dame High School, Level III
Honorable Mention for his letter to
Kelsey Wright, 12th grade student at Capital High School, Level III Honorable
Mention for her letter to
Letters About Literature is a reading and writing promotion program of the
Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with
Target Stores. Additional state sponsors include the West Virginia Center for
the Book hosted by the West Virginia Library Commission in partnership with the
West Virginia Humanities Council.
To enter, young readers write a personal letter to an author explaining how his
or her work changed their view of the world or themselves. Readers can select
authors from any genre—fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. The
program has three competition levels: upper elementary, middle school, and
secondary. The contest theme encourages young readers to explore his or her
personal response to a book then express that response in a creative, original
way.
In West Virginia, 315 children in grades 4 through 6 competed in Level I this
year, but only 33 were selected as finalists. In Level II, grades 7 through 8,
275 children competed with 21 selected as finalists. Twenty-five of 111
competitors from grades 9 through 12 were selected as finalists in Level III.
Overall, 701 West Virginia youth competed for prizes this year in a group that
included more than 47,000 entries nation-wide.
At an awards ceremony held April 20, 2006, in the Cultural Center in Charleston,
all finalists received certificates, a copy of the Letters About Literature
booklet, and a poster autographed by guest speaker, Anna Egan Smucker. Smucker
is a notable West Virginia author and received the notable book award IRA
Children’s Book Awards. J.D. Waggoner delivered the opening comments and
presented the student awards. In addition to the certificate, booklet and
poster, first place winners received $100 from the West Virginia Humanities
Council plus a $50 gift card to Target Stores while Runners-Up received $50
awards from the WV Humanities Council. Six national winners will receive an
expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capitol which also include parents, and one
teacher where the winners will read their letters during the National Book
Festival in the fall of 2005. In addition, they will receive a $500 Target gift
card. For additional information and a complete list of finalists, please visit
www.wvcenterforthebook@lib.wv.us
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