– Over 300 Students in K – Third Grade Submitted Stories –
Read the winning stories online at www.nhptv.org/kidswrite (DURHAM, May 3, 2012) — A vacationing blueberry, a computer that longs for adventure and gets more than it bargained for, and two cats in a staring contest were among the subjects of winning stories in this year's New Hampshire Public Television–PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest. The NHPTV-PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST encourages children in K – 3rd grade to explore the power of creativity by writing and illustrating their own stories, and promotes reading skills through hands-on, active learning. This is the 18th year NHPTV has hosted a writing and illustrating contest for children. There were 320 entries this year; more than 10,000 children have participated over the years. NHPTV’s first-place winners will compete against the winners from 62 other public television stations in the national PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST. The first-, second-, and third-place winners in the four grade categories will be recognized at the NHPTV-PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST awards ceremony June 2nd at NHPTV Family Day at Story Land in Glen, NH. Award-winning children’s author Kathy Brodsky, whose books include A Horse Named Special, Stover, The Inside Story, and The Winner Is…, will speak at the ceremony. “We’re so pleased to offer this opportunity to celebrate young writers. The entries we received were very impressive, and demonstrate the impact of NHPTV’s and PBS KIDS’ commitment to opening up worlds of words for children,” said Dawn DeAngelis, NHPTV's Chief Content Officer.The NHPTV-PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST is part of NHPTV's commitment to promoting literacy and a love of reading, writing and creative expression in children. The contest aligns with New Hampshire writing and reading standards, and is made possible with support from NEA-NH. This year's NHPTV winners were chosen by a panel of judges including local educators and librarians. Winning stories can be read on the NHPTV-PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST website www.nhptv.org/kidswrite. Starting as the READING RAINBOW YOUNG WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS CONTEST in 1994, the contest became the NHPTV-PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST in 2010. Six local children have been recognized for their work with national awards. The complete list of the 2012 contest winners is below; the winning stories can be read online at www.nhptv.org/kidswrite. First PlaceKindergarten - Buck Buck Bickins Spilling Things on Chickens (Benjamin Raleigh, Marlborough, MA)First Grade - The Staring Contest (Sean Kearney, Derry, NH)Second Grade - Computer Getaway (Caleb Denio, Manchester, NH)Third Grade - Brave Blueberry2 The Adventurous Vacation (Art McLaughlin, Hollis, NH)Second PlaceKindergarten - A Foals Adventure (Sierra Frank, Groveton, NH)First Grade - Leo the Brave Building Block (Collin Atwell, Bow, NH)Second Grade - Smile Please (Shennin Ayers, Merrimack, NH)Third Grade - The Worldwide Food Fair (Wyatt Dodd, Dunbarton, NH)Third PlaceKindergarten - Joe the Dragon (Noah Quarter, South Berwick, ME)First Grade - A Newton Family (Anna Numme, Claremont, NH)Second Grade - Dear Diary: My Vacation to Yellowstone (Briar Ainscough, Arvada, CO)Third Grade - The Big Ocean Problem (Nethra Sureshkumar, Hudson, NH)Fourth PlaceKindergarten - Ladybug and Squirrel Play Ball (Raina Patel, Wise Owl Kindergarten)First Grade - The Tale of the Pink Potion (Meena Gourley, Hamilton, MA)Second Grade - Under the Sea 1 2 3 (Elisabeth Jacob, Wilton, NH)Third Grade - The No Snow Winter (Stephanie Yang, Andover, MA, Bancroft Elementary School)Honorable MentionKindergarten - The Flower Girl (Gabriella Double Sandown, NH)Kindergarten - My Trip to China to Get My Sister (Lea DiFranco, Portland, ME)Kindergarten - The Rainbow Just Stood There (Samantha Phillips, Milton Mills, NH)Kindergarten - My Favorite Birthday (Trisha Prakash)First Grade - The Seasons (Gregory Riddle, Portsmouth, NH)First Grade - A Lost Bunny (Isabela Catalano, Manchester, NH)First Grade - The Mystery Bite (Jack Wilson, Beverly, MA)First Grade - Okay To Be Me (Kyan Carrier, Hollis, NH)First Grade - Ten Little Fish (Luke Smiley, Nashua, NH)First Grade - Who Took The Gum From Mamas Truck (Olivia Nightingale, Berwick, ME)Second Grade - The Pony of My Imagination (Ankita Akanksha, Nashua, NH)Second Grade - The Happiest Caterpillar (Erin Cusson, Bedford, NH)Second Grade - Deepers Creepers A Story Especially About the Abyss (Grace Lane, Northfield, VT)Second Grade - I Want A T-Rex (Guilena Tamagnini, Lincoln Akerman School, Hampton, NH)Second Grade - Bella vs Kia (Hannah Waltz, Bow, NH)Second Grade - My Wonderful Cat Star (Katherine Bonesho, Lincoln Akerman School, Hampton, NH)Second Grade - Travelling in Space (Kaydin Connors, Newington Public School, NH)Third Grade - Laura and the Bully (Aarohi Darisi, Infant Jesus School, Nashua, NH)Third Grade - Three Little Frogs (Aman Hiregoudar, Waltham, MA)Third Grade - Buttercup's Adventure (Amanda Grindrod, Chester, NH)Third Grade - Sucked Away (Ava Jarell Madison Elementary School, NH)Third Grade - The Late Egg (Cooper Caiozzo, Lunenburg, MA)Third Grade - How the Crocodile Got His Scales (Kai Jimeno, Brookline, NH)Third Grade - Lucky Last Place (Lucy Witt, Manchester, NH)Third Grade - Chester Loves Pancakes (Madilyn Cilley, Peterborough Elementary School, NH)Third Grade - Summer Vacation (Mikayla Murrin, Hollis, NH)Third Grade - The Secret World (Vinayak Graves, Nashua, NH)