Student "Letters about Literature" and "River of Words" Writers Win Accolades
Contact:
Martin Ackley, Director of Communications (517) 241-4395
Agency:
Education
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May 28, 2010
LANSING - Six Michigan students have been recognized for their work in literature, according to The Michigan Center for the Book. There were three state winners of "Letters about Literature" and there were three national finalists in the "River of Words" competition. These are annual contests sponsored by the National Center for the Book at the Library of Congress.
"It's exciting to see Michigan students involved this deeply in literature," said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. "Reading and writing spark the imagination and are catalysts for a creative mind. Students can enjoy reading both in and outside the classroom, and that includes during the summer, too."
In "Letters about Literature," young readers write letters to authors, living or dead, describing how the authors' work changed their lives. "River of Words" is a poetry and art contest on the topic of watersheds.
"Every year we receive many earnest and reflective letters, poetry and art that show both the power of books and the environment to engage the minds of young people. Through these programs, students learn literature is more than an assignment, but is something that can deeply change their lives" said Michigan Center for the Book Coordinator Karren Reish.
"We are delighted to have this opportunity to help schools and libraries foster Michigan students' interest in reading and writing and to encourage them to cultivate these skills that are key to academic and lifelong success," Reish added.
"Letters about Literature" state winners:
· Level I (grades 4-6) - Miriam Saperstein of Huntington Woods (Letters About Literature Reading Promotion Grant to Hillel Day School), who wrote to author Cathryn Clinton about the book A Stone in My Hand.
In her letter, Miriam spoke about how reading the novel taught her that understanding other people requires an open mind. "Have you ever been in a room and not noticed how dark it was until you pulled back the curtains? . . . Reading your book was like drawing back curtains that I didn't even know existed."
· Level II (grades 7-8) - Callahan Katrak of Kalamazoo (Letters About Literature Reading Promotion Grant to the Mattawan Middle School and High School Library Media Centers), who wrote to author Suzanne Fisher Staples about the book Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind.
Callahan gained perspective on her family's culture and values through reading Staples' book. "The traditions that my paternal ancestors share are similar to Shabanu's family's culture. . .I now see my father and his actions in a whole new light. Thankfully, my father and I have had more choices in our lives."
· Level III (grades 9-12) - Emily Kunz of Allegan (Letters About Literature Reading Promotion Grant to the Allegan Public Library), who wrote to author Delia Ephron about the book Frannie in Pieces.
After reading Frannie in Pieces, Emily was better able to deal with her father's death.
"There isn't a single day that goes by that I don't think about my dad…Your book helped me move past all the questions that are never going to be answered,…Without Frannie, I might still be fixated on the unknowable, instead of rejoicing in what surrounded me."
"River of Words" national finalists:
Michigan "River of Words" poetry finalists are Anneliese Ferguson, age 6, Traverse City, for her poem Springtime (Haiku); Bailey Lehmkuhle, age 13, Flint, for her poem Desperation River ; and Patricia Schlutt, age 15, Grand Rapids, for her collection of poems including Two Thousand Years after the First Canoes Broke the Surface; Learning to be Seven Years Old; Mission Creek, Montana; The Cemetery Across the Road Has Been Filling with Fireflies; and Driving Back Into My Childhood in the Car We Used to Drive over Roller Coaster Road. The contest is designed to help youth explore the natural and cultural history of the place they live, and to express, through poetry and art, what they discover.
Read the complete letters and poems at www.michigan.gov/mcfb <http://www.michigan.gov/mcfb> .
The Michigan Center for the Book (MCFB) organizes "Letters about Literature" and assists in promoting "River of Words" at the state level. A program of the Library of Michigan and the center's affiliates, MCFB encourages and produces local and statewide programs and resources that promote books, reading, authors and libraries. Funding comes solely through grants and membership dues. For more information about the Michigan Center for the Book and its programs, visit www.michigan.gov/mcfb <http://www.michigan.gov/mcfb> .
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