West Virginia Public Broadcasting announced the winners of the 2023 PBS Kids Writers Contest at an awards ceremony Saturday, May 6 at the West Virginia Culture Center and State Museum. The event opened with interactive performances by Tony Music and Joey Stepp Magic. Additional entertainment was provided by WV authors Ashley Belote, author of Frankenslime and The Me Tree, and Diane Tarantini, author of The Brave Knight.
WVPB Education Director Maggie Holley encouraged all West Virginia students to stay creative.
“I am always in awe when I read the children’s stories,” Holley said. “There is so much talent here in West Virginia. I hope this event shows the kids that if they want to be an author or illustrator, that dream is within their grasp.”
Congratulations to our 2023 PBS Writers Contest Winners:
Kindergarten
First Place, Elias Cooper; Second Place, Grayson Walton; Third Place, Lena Martinez
1st Grade
First Place, Avonlea Cooper; Second Place, Franesca Shangler; Third Place, Arianna Thornhill
2nd Grade
First Place, Lilianna Quinn Shaw Lawson; Second Place, Elise Silber; Third Place, Aubree Miles
3rd Grade
First Place, Carly Osburn; Second Place, Isaiah Fitts; Third Place, Sophia Lacocque
4th Grade
First Place, Boone Schneeberger; Second Place, Rylee Erdlitz; Third Place, Lucille Rice
5th Grade
First Place, Colton Baisden; Second Place, Rhys Clum; Third Place, Lily Gard
(Photos: Boone Schneeberger (left) and Sophia Lacocque (right) were chosen to work with the WVPB production team to animate their stories.)
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade were invited to submit stories with illustrations with the goal to encourage creativity and build literacy. Student teachers from Marshall University partnered with West Virginia Public Broadcasting to judge the entries.
Thank you to the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute for sponsoring the 2023 WVPB PBS Kids Writers Contest. They work across our state and nationwide to build awareness and promote medication safety for children.
Check out the 2023 stories here.