'Letters from the White House' Contest Gets Kids Writing
RSSBy SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 12/15/2008
Who has time to write letters anymore when emailing and text messaging are such a huge part of kids lives? That’s why Letters from the White House, a national creative writing contest, is encouraging Pre-K to 12th grade students to start writing again—and the grand prize winners will have their letters published on Reading Rockets.org and AdLit.org.
The contest not only encourages research and writing skills, but also broadens children’s imaginations. Students must submit either a letter or journal entry about a real life or imagined experience of living or working in the White House. Applicants, for example, can pretend to be a president, such as Abraham Lincoln, or a member of the First Family, like Chelsea Clinton. They can even imagine what it would be like when Barack Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States.
Or, if they prefer, kids can conduct research on the many people who work and spend time in the White House on a daily basis—such as a White House chef or a secret service agent—and write a letter or journal entry about this experience.
The goal? To “explore the useful arts of letter writing and journaling, take a look at the history of our country, and tap into their own creativity when they imagine and write about themselves as having a role in a past, present or future White House,” says one of the cosponsors Reading Rockets, which also offers contest resources for educators and parents on its Web site to help make the project a fun classroom or after school project. Five finalists will be chosen in each competition level—Pre-K and kindergarten, grades 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12—and the grand prize winners in each category will be named on April 30, 2009, the 100th day of the new presidential term. Winners will also receive a copy of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out (Candlewick Press); a stationery set and journal from Peaceable Kingdom Press; and a $100 gift certificate from Better World Books.
Reading Rockets is a project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how adults can help.To learn more about our Letters from the White House contest for older readers and writers (grades 4-12), visit AdLit.org, Adolescent Literacy, a sister organization of Reading Rockets geared toward older kids.
The contest launches on inauguration day, January 20, 2009, and the deadline is Presidents Day, February 16, 2009.
