Streetsboro student wins library writing award

This just in:

CLEVELAND (April 16, 2010) – The Ohio Center for the Book at Cleveland Public Library is pleased to announce the Ohio winners of the national writing contest, Letters About Literature, a reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with the Target corporation.

Emily Fernandez a seventh grader at Streetsboro Middle School wrote the winning Level II letter. Fernandez wrote to Lisa Genova about her book, Still Alice.

According to the press release:

To enter, young readers write a personal letter to an author explaining how his or her work changed their view of the world or themselves. Readers can select authors from any genrefiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. The contest theme encourages young readers to explore his or her personal response to a book then express that response in a creative, original way. The program has three competition levels: Level I - grades 4- 6, Level II - grades 7 and 8, and Level III - grades 9-12. This year, each of Ohio's first place winner's letters advanced to second level judging in the national competition.

More than 2,400 Ohio students participated in this year's contest, of those 135 advanced through the first round of judging. Eighteen letters, six in each category, advanced to the semifinalist level. Ohio semifinalists received a one year membership to the Ohioana Library Association. The Ohio winner in each category received a $100 cash prize, a $50 gift card from Target, and a selection of books. Second and third place finalists also receive a selection of books.