WQPT | PBS KIDS GO! Story Contest

Content on this page:
Regional Winners
Details about the Contest
Eligibility & Guidelines
Story Contest Sponsors

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Please contact us.

WQPT invited children in kindergarten, first, second or third grades to enter the annual PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest. Young authors from around the country send stories to their local PBS station, like WQPT–Quad Cities PBS, to compete for local and national prizes. It's fun, hands-on learning that's become a tradition in families and classrooms across the nation.

Congratulations Local Winners

WQPT has selected the 16 local winners for the PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest. The stories of these kindergarten through third grade authors were picked by the judges for their originality, storyline and artwork.

Each winner will receive special prizes at a ceremony on Sunday, May 19 at the Deere–Wiman House in Moline. First place winners will go on to compete in the national contest. A
ll 405 participants receive special certificates.

View the Stories

The stories will be displayed at:
Butterworth Center (Moline): Sunday, May 19 thru Thursday, May 30
Family Museum (Bettendorf): Monday, June 3 thru Sunday, June 16
Figge Art Museum (Davenport): Tuesday, June 18 thru Sunday, June 30

2013 Winners List

Kindergarten

First Place
Rylan Edwards
Ekstrand Elementary
DeWitt, Iowa

Second Place
Ellie Curnyn
Jane Addams Elementary
Moline, Illinois

Third Place
Sophia Foad
Cody Elementary School
LeClaire, Iowa

Honorable Mention
Oliver Border
Longfellow Liberal Arts
Rock Island, Illinois

First Grade

First Place
Georgia Brunkan
Ed White Elementary
Eldridge, Iowa

Second Place
Xion Owens-Holst
McKinley Elementary
Davenport, Iowa

Third Place
Gianna Schwartz
Paul Norton School
Bettendorf, Iowa

Honorable Mention
Nate Stanger
Garfield School
Davenport, Iowa

Second Grade

First Place
Paul Schwartz
Paul Norton School
Bettendorf, Iowa

Second Place
Isabella Jones
Rivermont Collegiate
Bettendorf, Iowa

Third Place
Nikhil Ramaraju
Riverdale Heights Elementary
Bettendorf, Iowa

Honorable Mention
Jena Edwards
Ekstrand Elementary
DeWitt, Iowa

Third Grade

First Place
Dalton Morrow
Harrison Elementary
Davenport, Iowa

Second Place
Alana Kruse
Morning Star Academy
Bettendorf, Iowa

Third Place
Eden Swails
Riverdale Elementary
Port Byron, Illinois

Honorable Mention
Calla Brunkan
Ed White Elementary
Eldridge, Iowa

Details about the Contest*

Contest Downloads

Kids

	2013 Story Contest Entry and Rules (2 pages)

	2013 Flyer with Details and Guidelines (2 pages)

	Writing Guide (15 pages)

	PBS LearningMedia (link)

Entry Deadline

*The deadline has passed. This content is provided for informational purposes only. Changes will occur next year. Do not reply on this information Entries must have a completed entry form which is signed by a parent or guardian.
Mail or deliver entries to WQPT, 3561 60th Street, Moline, Illinoislinois 61265. (WQPT is located on the second floor of the 60th Street campus for Western Illinois University.)
Online entries will NOT be accepted this year.

Outside Our Viewing Area?

If you live outside the western Illinois and eastern Iowa (predominately our viewing area), please contact your closest PBS station to learn how to enter the contest.

Writing Guide

Helpful for teachers and parents as a guide to teach better writing skills (available at left).

PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia is a free library of digital resources for teachers. Explore Professional Development for suggestions on how to teach better writing skills. Learn more.

Local Judging

A panel of regional judges will be comprised of educators, volunteers and story contest sponsors who will read and judge local stories based on these criteria:
40% creativity and originality of plot
and/or themes,
40% story structure and use of literary devices,
20% relevance, quality and originality
of illustrations.

National Judging

First place winners will see their stories posted on our website and go on to compete in the national contest for tablet computers, e-readers and MP3 players. The national winners will be announced during the summer, and their stories will be featured on pbskids.org.

National judges include: Lisa Henson, chief executive officer of The Jim Henson Company; Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid; Kat Klimo, vice-president and publisher of Random House/Golden Books; Jarrett Krosoczka, author and illustrator of Lunch Lady and many others, Susan Meddaugh, author and illustrator of Martha Speaks; and R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps series.

Eligibility, Entry and Contest Guidelines

Eligibility

Entrants must be in kindergarten, first, second or third grade.
Only 1 entry per child will be accepted.
Only single authored stories qualify (no coauthors).
Stories can be fact or fiction, and prose or poetry.
No fee or purchase necessary to enter.

Format

Stories must have at least 5 original, clear and colorful illustrations.
Original art can include drawings, collages and 3-D created by the author or photographs taken by the author.
Stories must be created on one side of the paper and numbered on the back of each page.

Additional Details, Conditions & Help

Most questions and additional details may be located in the downloadable Entry Form (shown above).
Need help? If you need assistance, please contact us.

Word Count and Other Details

Kindergarten and first grade stories must have a minimum of 50 words and maximum of 200 words.
Second and third grade stories must have a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 350 words.
The word count includes "a," "an," and "the," but not the words on the non-story pages such as the title page or those that enhance the illustrations.
Text must be printed or written legibly or typed.
Children who cannot write may dictate their story to be printed, written legibly or typed.
Text may be integrated into the illustration pages or on separate pages.
Non-English text must be translated on the same page and the translated text (English) must adhere to word count.
Invented spelling is accepted.

Story Contest Sponsors