20 May 2013 Conway students among winners in AETN writers contest
Riley Sellers of Conway placed first among kindergarten entries in the Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest with “The Adventures of Joe.”
Sellers – a student at Ida Burns Elementary – was one of 150 students across Arkansas who participated in this year’s contest, and all 12 winning stories can be viewed at aetn.org/writerscontest.
Sellers and all other first place Arkansas winners have been entered in the national PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest where they will compete against other state winners from across the country. National winners will be announced in July. Entries were judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations.
Arkansas winners include:
Kindergarten – first place, Riley Sellers of Conway with "The Adventures of Joe;" second place, Preslee Wheeler of Conway (a student at Woodrow Cummins Elementary) with "Chip in the BIG World"; third place, Nevaeh Smith of Springdale with "Rainey Nights."
First grade – first place, Mabel Wise of Rogers with "The Dancing Zebra”; second place, Zainab Alwbari of Little Rock with "Ruff’s Adventure”; third place, Mallory Price of Rogers with "A Cat Party."
Second grade – first place, Maya Henry of Little Rock with "Sam Finds His Family”; second place, Ashlynn Avey of Timbo with "Noah and Uncle Moco”; third place, Viviana Preston of Booneville with "Stretchy Elizabeth."
Third grade – first place, Lila Wilson of Monticello with "Saving Spirit”; second place, Mark Knepp of Conway (a student at Woodrow Cummins Elementary) with "Tales From The Fridge”; third place, Rami Rapp of Little Rock with "High Tide in Hawaii."
Building on the success of the 15-year Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest was launched in 2011 in an effort to continue to encourage young children in kindergarten through third grades across the country to illustrate and write their own stories.
The local-national contest is designed to promote the advancement of children’s reading skills through hands-on, active learning. AETN is pleased to congratulate the Arkansas winners and share PBS KIDS’ commitment to opening up worlds of words for all young children across the state and the nation.
PBS KIDS is a trusted guide nurturing young learners ages 2-8. As America’s largest classroom, PBS inspires children to discover their full potential for success in school and in life and serves children wherever they live, learn, and play. More information on participating local stations, general entry rules and contest resources can be found on pbskids.org/writerscontest.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is Arkansas’s statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. For more information, visit aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog at aetn.org/engage. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), and KETZ (El Dorado).
