WQPT | Reading Rainbow Story Contest

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2008 Winners Announced

National Winner (Kindergarten)

Jayda B.
Edward White Elementary
Eldridge, Iowa

View Jayda's winning entry
in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

WQPT was one of 113 public television stations participating in this year’s Contest, with support from WQPT partners: Butterworth Center & Deere/Wiman g 309,000 households in eastern Iowa and western Illinois..

We're honored to announce that Jayda B., a kindergarten student at Edward White Elementary in Eldridge won Third Place in the 14th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest. The national contest had more than 45,000 entrants nationwide.

"I Can't Decide" is an original story by Jayda, who wrote and drew illustrations for her humorous tale of what she wants to be when she grows up.

Contest entries from kindergarteners through third graders are first judged at the local level, with local winners advancing to the national competition. Two rounds of national judging culminated in a final judging by a distinguished panel that included representatives of children’s television programming, educators, a literacy expert, a librarian and university professor.

“We are thrilled to have a national winner come out of the WQPT Reading Rainbow contest,” said Educational Outreach Director, Ana Kehoe. “Jayda’s story stood out. She created a delightful little story book.”

Kindergarten Winners

First Place
Jayda B.
Edward White Elementary
Eldridge, Iowa

Second Place
Nate O.
Winola Elementary
Viola, Illinois

Third Place
Jose M. Jr.
Longfellow Elementary
Rock Island, Illinois

Honorable Mention
Caillou P.
Longfellow Elementary
Rock Island, Illinois

First Grade Winners

First Place
Jessica E.
Blue Grass Elementary
Blue Grass, Iowa

Second Place
Eunice Y.
Prophetstown Elementary
Prophetstown, Illinois

Third Place
Lauren S.
Rivermont Collegiate
Bettendorf, Iowa

Honorable Mention
Will M.
4M Christian Academy
Walnut, Illinois

Second Grade Winners

First Place
Olivia N.
Cody Elementary
LeClaire, Iowa

Second Place
Dylan Andrew H.
Fulton Elementary
Fulton, Illinois

Third Place
Katherine M.
Eugene Field Elementary
Rock Island, Illinois

Honorable Mention
Caroline S.
Cody Elementary
LeClaire, Iowa

Third Grade Winners

First Place
McKenzie W.
Pleasant View Elementary
Bettendorf, Iowa

Second Place
Alek J.
Earl Hanson Elementary
Rock Island, Illinois

Third Place
Nyla M.
Homeschool
Galesburg, Illinois

Honorable Mention
Pranjal K.
Washington Elementary
Moline, Illinois

2008 Press Release

MOLINE, ILLINOIS – WQPT is proud to announce the winners of the 13th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. More than 330 children entered the contest and WQPT picked sixteen local winners (first, second, third and honorable mention) from kindergarten through third grade. Participants could choose fact or fiction, prose or poetry.

Requirements included: only original, single-authored stories with K – 1 students writing a minimum of 50 words and maximum of 200… and Grades 2–3 writing a minimum of 100 words and maximum of 350. Each age group had to illustrate a minimum of 5 drawings.

Twelve local judges, many retired teachers, selected the best stories. Then a panel of 6 sponsors picked the winners.

Local winners will receive their awards at a ceremony on May 18th at 3:00 p.m. at the Deere-Wiman House. The winning stories will be on display at the Butterworth Center in Moline, May 12 – 28, at the Family Museum in Bettendorf, June 2 – 18, and at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, June 23–July 9.

First place winners will go on to compete for prizes in the national Reading Rainbow competition. National winners will be announced at a later date (no specific date given).

WQPT is the local public television station located in Moline, Illinois on the campus of Black Hawk College.

Reading Rainbow—the beloved television series that inspires a lifelong love of reading. Host LeVar Burton introduces children to fascinating topics and places through books, on-location adventures, real kids and music.

Thisis nine-time Emmy Award-winner that takes young viewers on adventures which stimulate their interest in reading for pleasure and entertainment.

Watch Reading Rainbow
weekdays at 5:00pm.

Funding and support for WQPT's
local Reading Rainbow Story & Illustrator's contest provided by:

In collaboration with:

Reading is Fun!

Who can enter?
Students in Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade.
(See below for full details.)

Story Contest Brief Description
WQPT, Quad Cities PBS invites you to write and illustrate your own story… fact or fiction, prose or poetry. See below for additional information.

Everyone is a Winner
Every entrant will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton.

16 Local Winners
Sixteen winners (four selected from each grade from our viewing area) will receive local recognition on WQPT and win special prizes. First place winners will compete for national prizes.

Recognition
The winning stories will be displayed at Butterworth Center in Moline, Illinois; the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, and the Family Museum in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Local Contest Deadline
Stories HAD to be postmarked by Thursday, April 10, 2008.

	Download helpful writing guidelines about assisting children with the writing contest.

	Download the 2008 contest entry form and rules.

Adobe® Reader® is a free download. Click on the icon above
to go to the Adobe website.

Deadline

	The contest entry deadline WAS Thursday, April 10, 2008. This date has expired.

What you need to know...

	Entrants must be in Kindergarten, First, Second or Third grades.

	Only one entry per person will be accepted.

	Only single author stories qualify (Co-authored stories are not accepted).

	Stories can be fact or fiction, prose or poetry.

	Story must be original work of the child.

Word Count

	Kindergarten & 1st grade stories must have a minimum of 50 words and a maximum of 200 words.

	2nd & 3rd grade stories must have a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 350 words.

	The word count includes “a,” “an,” & “the,” but not the words on non-story pages such as the title page.

Illustrations

	Must have at least 5 original, clear & colorful illustrations.

Story Text

	Stories must be printed legibly or typed;

	stories can be dictated for transcription if the child is unable to write;

	stories may be integrated into the illustration pages or on individual pages;

	non-English text must be translated on the same page—the translated text must adhere to word count; and

	invented spelling is accepted.

Format

	Stories must be created on one side of the paper only, and

	numbered on the back of each page.

Official Entry Form

	The Entry Form must accompany the entry and be complete, legible, and have the required parent/guardian signature.

If you would like more information or if you have questions regarding this story contest, please call WQPT at 309/796-2424 or toll-free at 1-800/747-2430.