Tag: Writers Contest

Elliot Jackson won first place among 4th graders in West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s 2019 Writers Contest with his story ‘Don’t Judge a Sock by Its Color’. He came to our studios to record a version for radio weeks later.

Upon hearing Elliot’s story, WVPB video producer Pat Sergent wondered what it would be like to add animation to Elliot’s drawings. We think this venture turned out great, especially paired with Elliot’s narration. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YelIlUgwxcE

This year we were excited to add the authors’ voices to several of the winning stories.  It made it possible to share them with our West Virginia Morning radio audience. 

• Kasey Cutwright: 2019 5th Grade Writers Contest Winner
• Elliot Jackson: 2019 4th Grade Writers Contest Winner 
• Dorsey Cutright: 2019 2nd Grade Writers Contest Winner

WVPB hosts the Writer’s Contest for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Each year we are fortunate to read hundreds of original, illustrated stories.  For the past few years we have posted the winning stories on our website. 

We would also like to do a special shout out to Elliot Jackson for submitting his winning entry, and his family for their assistance in making the animated version possible.

The Writers Contest is an annual tradition for WVPB.  This year there were a record number of entries submitted, from students in kindergarten through fifth grade.  There was an incredible range of entries from both in-state and out-of-state, entries from entire schools, from homeschoolers, from library and afterschool programs and from our PBS Kids who learned of the contest and wanted to write a story. 

It is always exciting to read the stories and marvel at the orignial artwork.  We are pleased to be able to share these stories with you. 

View The Winning Entries 

The Writers Contest provides an opportunity to showcase student works,  it also provides an educational laboratory opportunity for students in Marshall University’s Education program to examine and evaluate student work, the education majors serve as judges.  The experience provides them real experience of working with a rubric and to see a wide cross section of student work.  Marshall Professor Mindy Backus has integrated this event into her class assignments. 

We hope you enjoy looking at the fiction and non-fiction stories.  The adventures of people and the adventures of animals.  To those who submitted stories we thank you and hope youkeep on writing. 

Congratulations to all the writers who submitted entries this year.  Thanks too, judges.  Marshall University Education Majors took their judging job seriously as they counted words and discussed the merits of the stories entered.  They were impressed by all the stories submitted and that made their job even more difficult.  Please find this year’s winning entries.  We hope you are thinking about what tale you will tell for next year’s contest.