Young Author's Contest

The Young Author's Contest is a creative writing contest that students in first and second grades are able to participate. The students that "win" the contest have the wonderful opportunity to attend the Reading Reptile's DNA Literature Festival in the spring at Rockhurst University. How do the students win? Sixteen students, who have created an interesting, creative story and have displayed that they have devoted time and effort to their story will be chosen. With 2 seperate due dates, students have plenty of time to continue making their stories better throughout this contest. The first deadline is Friday, December 2nd. The students will have their stories returned to them when they return from that weekend.  Their story will be returned with a graded rubric.   This rubric grades their stories and lets the students know how they can make their story even more polished. The second deadline is Friday, December 16th. The winners will be announced upon return from winter break. Those sixteen students will be able to attend the Literature Festival!

This contest will also be held in conjunction with Johnson County Library’s Writing Contest. ALL of the participating students' stories will be entered into the library’s writing contest. This contest will culminate with a reception of all the participating authors in which they will have the opportunity to meet and hear from several of Kansas City's finest, nationally-published children's book authors and illustrators. Authors participating include Lisa Campbell Ernst, Brad Sneed, Jenny Whitehead, Pete Whitehead, Eric Brace, Dana Regan, Shane Evans, and Laura Huliska-Beith, all of whom are  Johnson County Library Writing Contest judges! At the reception, 6 (or more) winning entries will be announced and read aloud by the judges. Prizes will be awarded. All contestants will receive a Certificate of Recognition. We have only participated in this contest for two years and have had a winning entry from Spring Hill Elementary both years. The first year Lauren Brinkman's story was one of the winning entries. She received a framed, illustration created by author/illustrator Lisa Campbell Ernst. Last year, Olivia Chrisman's story was chosen by Jenny Whitehead. She received a framed illustration created by Nationally published author/illustrator Jenny Whitehead.