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Earth Day Reading and Writing

Happy Earth Day! Pick up a piece of writing by or about John Muir, founder of The Sierra Club and protector of our National Park System. I loved his biography by Ginger Wadsworth, John Muir: Wilderness Protector, and Muir’s very own words in The Wild Muir: Twenty-two of John Muir’s Greatest Adventures by the naturalist himself. Then there is always my own picture book about what Muir calls his most exciting experience. John Muir and Stickeen: And Alaskan Adventure is available in many libraries.

Writing exercises: 1. Go outside in nature. Sit beside a tree, walk in a park or in a forest, or skip rocks in a pond. Write a poem about something you see, feel, hear and appreciate. Use your senses. Remember that a poem isn’t just prose in poetry form. Get rid of unnecessary words and keep only the most important ones! 2. Who or what inspires you to treat your environment with respect? Why? How? 3. Write an anecdote about when you’ve seen someone DISrespect the environment. What happened?

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That’s novel! All in poems!

Happy Birthday April Halprin Wayland! Check out her new book, set to be released in June. Girl Coming in for a Landing is a novel writing with poems!

http://www.aprilwayland.com/books.htm

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More on Honorable Mentions **

Many honorable mentions will be given to your teachers. This will save on postage for us. We are working hard to raise as much money possible to give as many awards for next year too!

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Regarding Honorable Mentions

What are honorable mentions and who are getting them?
Sara

Honorable mentions are those entries that didn’t quite make 1, 2, or 3rd place in the contest but came close. They had something wonderful about their writing that is to be commended.

The honorable mentions will be mailed to the students. Every student who participated and who filled out their form clearly and correctly will receive acknowledgement from us within the next few weeks.

If anyone doesn’t hear, that means they forgot to fill out their form clearly. In one case (see a previous post) one girl didn’t fill out ANY form. I checked the envelope and it was a Kaiser envelope so THAT doesn’t help me either! So sadly, she will never hear from us. We have no way to reach her at all. Her entry couldn’t even be considered for the contest because we didn’t know what grade she was in.

Thanks for asking this question. It was a good one. I don’t think we mention it on our guidelines because there may not be room to put everything on one page!

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Comment from Karen

Congratulations to the winners and to all the students who entered the contest! Keep writing!
Karen

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Congratulations!

2009 Winners
Essays
Sixth Grade
First Place
Augustine Chemparathy
Keeping Your Hand on the Rudder
Gale Ranch: Sara Faidley

Second Place
Stephanie Sloves
When You Wish Upon A Star
Orinda: Sally Thompson

Third Place
Rishi Krishnan
Wednesday Night Fever!
Gale Ranch: Sara Faidley

Seventh Grade
First Place
Carter Broad
Le Tour de Ow
Orinda: Cecilia Kilmartin

Second Place
Caie Kelley
Climbing My Fears
Orinda: Cecilia Kilmartin

Third Place
Fatima Naveed
Two Minutes
WCI: Carol Hoy

Eighth Grade
First Place
Nina Fairbairn
Masi Mara
Dorris-Eaton: Brad Breilein

Second Place
Sebastian Grobelny
The Learning Curve
St. Agnes School: Paula Traynor

Third Place
Arielle Mourrain
The World’s a Stage
Dorris-Eaton: Deenie Schoenfeld

Short Stories
Sixth Grade
First Place
Sarah Sweeney
Moonlight
Joaquin Moraga: Kristin Anderson

Second Place
Zhill Olonan
Blood Shed
Adams Middle: Angie McDonald

Third Place
Rubina Gala
Why Snakes Are Scaly
Gale Ranch: Marissa West

Seventh Grade
First Place
Sean Lee
Run
Windmere Ranch: Kim Vaiana

Second Place
Raia Cherednikov
Monster
Valley View: Johanna Ravhala

Third Place
Time to Wait
Sophie Belinn
Orinda: Mary Risso

Eighth Grade
First Place
Aaron Broadbent
Misstep
Palmer School: Miss Cassie

Second Place
Karishma Pareek
Fade
Pine Valley: Sylvia Hegarty

Third Place
B.J. Norcross
Guardian Angel
Delta Vista Middle: Mr. Whitmore

Poetry

Sixth Grade Poetry
First Place
Chloe Chan
Kaleidoscope
Pine Valley Middle: Robin White

Second Place
Lena Milton
Waiting for the Moon
Tehiyah Day: Richard Lyon

Third Place
Paul Cook
If I Were A Tree
Valley View: Nicole Manasewitcsh

Seventh Grade
First Place
Eleana Binder
Betrayal
Tehiyah Day: Stephanie Piper

Second Place
Jonathan Ng
The Sea Slug
Athenian: Charlie Raymond

Third Place
Gabriella Alvarez
When Cupid Misses
Queen of All Saints: Jeffrey Buhl

Eighth Grade
First Place
Theresa Rizza
WCI: Mary Claire Caron

Second Place
Celina Maiorano
Lady Sea
Pine Valley Middle: Sylvia Hegarty

Third Place
Austin Shore
An Inevitable Outcome
Dorris-Eaton: Deeni Schoenfeld

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Okay Judges, we’re waiting . . .

I sent out a polite e-mail to them . . . I’m waiting just like many of you are. In the meantime, I’m working on a picture book.
What are YOU writing?
If you aren’t, try and come up with another story, poem or personal experience piece to enter in 1. next year’s contest 2. another contest 3. a magazine

Later – – when I get caught up in this mess I call an office – – I will post a list of places that publish kids’ writing.

And if YOU have a cool website or magazine that does, send it here! We are always open to new places for kids to publish their work.

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When oh when? We are waiting!

When When exactly will the winners be announced?
Shane C.

Answer:
Soon! I am waiting (hopefully only a couple of more days) for the last few categories. Then I will post them here. We have 1,2, and 3 winners in all categories and quite a few honorable mentions! So even if you have submitted something and don’t place this time, don’t give it a worry. Everything was really fabulous. Enter again if your grade permits. Also enter OTHER contests. And workshop your work too.

I wish I had started writing when I was young. I didn’t start until I was nearly thirty. So if you’ve begun as a student, be proud. Great going!
Liz
http://www.lizbooks.com

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Comment by Carmen on Writing Exercises

“I’m a big fan of writing exercises that not only test their knowledge and skills but use their imagination. they are so much more interested in the assignment when they have fun!”

Carmen

Thanks Carmen! I agree. I recall when I had students write in journals they’d say, “What shall we write about today?” These often can help. And in the morning, they help ME get started with MY day too! Thanks for commenting!
Liz

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California Writers Club Young Writers Contest

This is the exciting time! The judges are finalizing their decisions, and I’m discovering the winners of the various categories. I’ve called some of the students to save the May 9 luncheon date, but some of the judges still haven’t reported back yet. And I haven’t been able to reach all of the students, what with the holiday.

This year, for the two categories I judged, we had difficulties in narrowing down our decisions. We REALLY wanted to give more prizes. But we’re short on funds. However, we’re going to try for a grant for next year. If we make it, I hope we can have the ability to have “tie-places” available. (fingers crossed, novenas prayed . . . )

One thing all of us judges agree on . . . the quality of the entries are far superior to anything we’ve seen before! Amazing. Students, teachers, parents and librarians are to be commended for this new flux of talent, hard work and craft!

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