It was a rainy spring day in the park and children from around the Portland Metro area gathered in the Nature Center to read their imaginative essays on this year's writing theme, "Why Woodpecker Must Make Holes".
Over 400 students, ages 1st - 6th grade, participated in the contest. Out of these, nineteen winners were selected. Categories included Honorable Mention, Second Place and First Place for every grade level. The winning essays were based on creativity, scientific knowledge, observations, personal research, and narrative ability (misspellings and grammar counted!).
The confidence, poise and pride displayed by the students as they read their stories was striking. It was clear that each and every budding writer had taken a great deal of time crafting his or her essay, a skill that will serve them for years to come. The large turnout of teachers, family and community members who came to support their students in this endeavor was also very impressive.
The goal of the Tall Tale Writing Contest is to provide a fun, engaging opportunity for young people to tap into their creativity and language skills while thinking about the natural world and their relationship to it. The joy and pride of this year's winners was wonderful to see.
Thanks to all who participated, and congratulations to the nineteen winners of the 2011 Tall Tale Writing Contest:
1st Grade - Millie Polzin, Capitol Hill, 1st Place
Katisyn Sweeney, Capitol Hill, 2nd Place
Zoe Olivia Elliot, North Plains, Honorable Mention
2nd Grade - Makenna Kellogg, Riverside, 1st Place
Alexis Nguyen, Mount Scott, 2nd Place
Wyatt Murphy, Maplewood, Honorable Mention
Bridget Brown, Maplewood, Honorable Mention
3rd Grade - Cristal Alfaro, McKinney, 1st Place
Mary Sherden, West Union, 2nd Place
Annie Deforge, West Union, Honorable Mention
4th Grade - Raven Wilson, Maplewood, 1st Place
Carmen Quintos, Riverdale, 2nd Place
Janey-Mae DeLaPena, Fairview, Honorable Mention
5th Grade - Jaran White, Durham, 1st Place
Tiffany Ong, Earl Boyles, 2nd Place
Katsumi Lew, Happy Valley, Honorable Mention
6th Grade - Jenna Jordahl, Forest Hills, 1st Place
Hilario Avalos Damian, W.L.Henry, 2nd Place
Johanna Selover-Stephan, Forest Hills, Honorable Mention
