THE EXCELLENCE IN LITERACY FOUNDATION
BOX 639 • RICHMOND, ONTARIO • K0A 2Z0
PhonE 613.838.5539 • Fax: 613.838.3150
June 1, 2007
Hello!
We are happy to share the work of the “Write-On Contest” winners with you!
Our judges were very impressed by these entries. The authors’ work stood out for us because they combined care and skill. They remembered their hearts when they wrote, and they also remembered the rules of good writing. We hope that they will always strive for this balance when they write. People who write with passion and clarity can help our country to grow in beauty, strength, and fairness.
While we had not planned on creating an HonourableMention category, we were so impressed by these additional entries that we wanted to give them that special recognition. When we, the judges, read these submissions, we could hear the voices of the authors. They helped us to understand reading and writing differently, and they made us want to change the world for the better. Their writing touched our hearts. Their words are powerful, and we hope that they continue sharing them.
We hope that these young authors keep developing these important skills as they continue their education. Canada is lucky to have them as our future leaders!
We will be sending excerpts of these entries, to our Prime Minister, Cabinet Members, Senators, and Members of Parliament. These submissions will help demonstrate the great importance of literacy for Canada’s children and youth.
Warmest wishes,
Usha Tamba Dhar
Executive Director
Table of Contents
Age Category – 5 to 8 yearsPages 4-6
First PrizePage 4
Author:Claire Margaret Granum
Title:Jimmy Knows How to Read
Second PrizePage 5
Author:Cassandra Atatise
Title:Dear Prime Minister
Third PrizePage 6
Author:Michelle Hunter
Title:Dear Literacy Elf
Age Category – 9 to 11 yearsPages 7-12
First PrizePages 7
Author:Mark McGugan
Title:A Dude Named Joe – a rhyming poem
Second Prize Page 9
Author:Curt Salmon
Title:Dear Literacy Elf
Third PrizePage 10
Author:Sarah-Rose Blain
Title:The Trouble With August
Honourable MentionPage 11
Author:Neisha Baptiste
Title:I Read To Succeed
Honourable MentionPage 12
Author:Joey Hunter
Title:Literacy
Age Category – 12 to 14 yearsPages 13-23
First PrizePage 13
Author:Paris Patricelli
Title:Dyslexia
Second PrizePage 14
Author:Isabelle Désilets
Title:ReadingRdaineg/ Am I so different?
Third PrizePage 16
Author:Jessica Bui
Title:A Shadowed Heart
Age Category – 15 to 17 yearsPages 23-29
First PrizePage 23
Author:Jasmine Lewis
Title:Reading & Writing have Made Me Stronger
Second PrizePage 25
Author:Tilly Jackson
Title:Quiet Desperation
Third PrizePage 26
Author:Sydney MacNight
Title:The Greatest Story Ever Written
Honourable MentionPage 29
Author:Joey Spearns
Title:Untitled
Age Category – 18 to 25 yearsPages 30-32
First PrizePage 30
Author:Robin Lemire
Title:Writing – My New Found Friend
Second PrizePage 31
Author:Katie Marie Youngberg
Title:A New Me
Third PrizePage 32
Author:Carl Sanderson
Title:Difficulties in Cursive Writing
Jimmy Knows How to Read
By Claire Margaret Granum
There once was a boy called Jimmy who couldn’t read. When ever he read the only things that came out of his mouth were “bu-lu-mu-chu-coco-loco-mo-to-lo”. Jimmy’s mom always told him to do his best, but Jimmy couldn’t take it anymore. He was good at everything except reading. “I can’t take it anymore! I’m good at everything so why can’t I be good at reading?!”
Jimmy, Kim and Todd walked to school together. Before the bell rang, Kim and Todd were talking about what they were going to read tonight but they didn’t notice Jimmy didn’t know how to read. After one minute Jimmy went in line. He felt left out because he couldn’t read. In school they were reading a book. Jimmy didn’t even finish the first page. After 30 minutes, he finally finished the first page but the teacher stopped everyone. “Now class I want you to tell me what your story was about.” Jimmy was scared. “But if you don’t want to share your story with the class I understand.” After English was over it was snack time. The teacher was concerned about Jimmy so she asked Jimmy to stay in at recess. Jimmy said “Sure.” The teacher had a book in her hands. She asked Jimmy to read the book. He thought the title was called “Munchu lu bu”. The teacher said it’s called “Little Red Riding Hood”. After recess he had more trouble reading, but no one noticed. After school Jimmy tried to read Little Red Riding Hood. His babysitter Brad helped him. Brad was just like his mom. He always told Jimmy to do his best. Jimmy said “I always do my best but I can’t read”. When Jimmy’s mom and dad came home they saw Jimmy in bed. They thought he was reading but he was really sleeping. Every day Jimmy got better and better at Little Red Riding Hood. On May 23rd Jimmy could finally read Little Red Riding Hood. Jimmy’s teacher was very impressed and she told Jimmy that it was the hardest book for any kid in the world that’s his age. Jimmy was surprised that he could actually read! Jimmy told his mom and dad that he knows how to read. They were thrilled. Now he can talk to his friends at school and discuss what they’re reading at night!
The End
Dear Prime Minister
By Cassandra Atatise
Dear Prime Minister,
Hi! My name is Cassandra Faith Atatise. I am eight years old. I live in Lac La Croix. I am in grade 3. My mom and dad are Loretta and Ted. I have 3 sisters and their names are Sheena, Miranda and Jessica. I also have one brother – his name is William. I am talking about my problem with cursive writing because it feels like scribbles on a paper. It feels like it because there are too many loops and swoops. I don’t know what I am doing. I wonder if it is hard for you.
Sometimes it feels okay, but I just can’t get used to it, sometimes I get mixed up with U’s and V’s, but I will keep on trying. Do you have any ideas or suggestions that will help me with this problem?
Sincerely,
Cassandra Faith Atatise
Dear Literacy Elf
By Michelle Hunter
Dear Literacy Elf,
Reading makes me happy. I like the funny pages. I like books about Strawberry Short cake. Sometimes they are funny.
From,
Michelle Hunter
A Dude Named Joe – a rhyming poem
By Mark McGugan
Once, there was a dude named Joe
When asked, “Do you like writing?” he said, “No!”
He preferred to eat, read, and play
But he didn’t like writing, not today.
He would not write today, he wouldn’t write ever,
He thought he would give up writing forever.
He hated writing ‘cause it made his hand hurt,
He even said sometimes that he’d sweat on his shirt!
Joe would complain about writing all day
Just so he could get away
He needed more imagination,
Or maybe just some inspiration.
He just didn’t like writing, not at all
One of his complaints was, “My pencil’s too small!”
He would always get away from writing, we don’t know how
I guess that remains a mystery for now.
A teacher said, “Writing’s good for you!”
“But last time,” he replied, “it gave me the flu!”
He enjoyed listening and he liked to read,
But he would not write, on matter how much they’d plead!
And then one day he stood in a bus,
Reading a book about Jesse and Gus,
The bus started up on that Monday,
When a man came up to him and said, “Hey!”
“Do you lie to write?” And Joe said, “No!”
“Well then let me tell you something you should know!”
So the man told Joe about how writing is fun,
He said, “Without writing, reading would be none!”
Then that was when Joe started to think,
And then he had an enlightening, “BLINK”
Then he said, “OK this sounds neat…
Now I have an idea that no one will beat!”
So he found his laptop and sat himself down,
And a beautiful story he word-processed down
It was called, “How I started to write.”
And making this story, he spent ALL night!
Finally, in the morning, he said, “I am done!”
And then he tried to publish it, just for fun.
He sent it to the Time magazine,
Whose critics were always very mean.
They took it and he got more money than ever,
And then he started writing forever.
THE END
Dear Literacy Elf
By Curt Salmon
Dear Literacy Elf,
I like reading but writing is not the best for me. I feel proud when I am reading. I enjoy reading but I usually just do it when I have to or I read myself to sleep. Sometimes when I find a word that I can’t get through I try to figure it out until my head hurts. Then I just skip it and read the rest of the sentence to help me find out what it means. I like to read books that I’m interested in the Redwall and One Piece.
Writing is not the best for me. I would be more interested if the pencil did all of the work. I love writing stories in my head but not on paper. If I do write stories then I like to make them short. I feel like writing wastes my energy. I wish it would give you energy and time rather than waste it. I think it’s really boring in class when I have to copy things off the board because I don’t even know what I’m writing. I struggle because I worry that I won’t be done in time and then I will have homework. But I feel lucky that I can write. I like writing letters to other people because it doesn’t take too much time and I like getting letters in return. If I really put my mind to it I can write and it feels fun.
Your friend,
Curt Salmon
The Trouble With August
By Sarah-Rose Blain
Once upon a time there was tiger named Turkey. Every time that he tried to say the months he always forgot. He just couldn’t learn them! The trickiest month was August. When he tried to say the months he always forgot that month. August. He just couldn’t remember August. He would say, “January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November, December.”
When Turkey went to school the teacher asked him to say his months. He was excited because he had practiced so hard. He was sure that he would remember August. So he started, “January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November, December.” When he finished he said, “OH NO!”. His teacher said, “Turkey, when you go home practice and practice so you will get it right next time.”
So Turkey went home and he practiced and practiced. Then finally, he said, “January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.” He was so happy that he couldn’t wait to go to school and show his teacher.
At night he kept on saying the months inside his head. Then, in the middle of the night he finally fell asleep. The next day the bus was here. He ran out the door and jumped on the bus. All the time he was saying his months in his head. “January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.” As soon as he got to school he jumped out of the bus and ran inside the school. He said to his teacher, “Madame, I learned my months and I don’t even forget August any more. Can I say them to the class after?”
“Okay” said his teacher. When everyone got into the classroom the teacher said, “Turkey has been working very hard to put August into his months. Let’s listen to him.”
Turkey stood up feeling very, very excited. He began to speak, “January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.” Everybody clapped and he was very, very proud of himself. He said, in his head, “I can’t wait to tell my Mom and Dad.”
As soon as he got home he yelled, “Mom, Mom”. He said to them, “January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.” His Mom screamed, “Turkey! You learned it! Very good!”
The end.
I Read to Succeed
By Neisha Baptiste
I relax when I read. My favourite fiction book is Janie B. Jones. When I read it, I visualize Janie working to school like me. My non-fiction work is Wolf Watcher. It makes me feel good. The mot difficult thing is when I am stuck on a page. Someday to be smart at reading.
Literacy
By Joey Hunter
Literacy is one of the most interesting things to do at my house because it gets me it to writing stuff that my teacher gives me to write on. Because when I do reading at school it gets me into action on my writing same with my favourite writing place to write because it is so great there where nobody can talk very loud.
Literacy is fun to do because we can go surfing to type for us to get better at our writing and sometimes I get frustrated at hard words because it is very hard for me to understand hard words. Literacy is a fun thing to do because some people get good at reading and writing. Sometimes I read to my family when they want me to read to them and I get use to it when I get told to read. So I get a book to read to my niece. Literacy is a good thing to do so read anytime.
Literacy is one of my best hobby in my life and I only sometimes read once in awhile for me to get better for me to write bunch of essays or when I do my oral presentation for my family at home. I have read 7 books in 2 days because I am really good at it when I read.
Dyslexia
By Paris Patricelli
“Sorry? What did you say?”
“I can’t remember.”
“Is someone shaking my head?”
“My thoughts are doing back flips.”
My name is Paris and my learning disability is DYSLEXIA!!! To read, write and spell, and sometimes to think about what to say, is very challenging. I have to think of small songs, tricks, and alternate routes to help me around my disability.
I can’t read or write the best; plus it doesn’t help to see letters backwards like Z, P and R – I reverse my B’s and D’s as well. There are other glitches too, like reading and spelling words backwards as if they are playing tricks on me. At the end of it all, I don’t remember one thing I just read or wrote. But, when I get help with my reading or writing, you can watch my grades dramatically increase.
Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating! It takes me three times as long to get things done, like reading, writing and comprehending. I also have to rely on people to help me. This means that I have to wait until they have the time. Imagine you feel like playing a computer game. The game starts up and the screen is full of writing. The writing tells you how to play and you don’t understand it. You try pressing any old key to make it run but it won’t work.
When I speak to people about my learning disability I get very emotional, because, when it comes to learning, I feel so different and out of place. Sometimes I wish I could learn like everyone else. It’s hard to be called stupid by someone who doesn’t understand. To the Dyslexia means I’m dumb, but to me it means I learn differently (at my own pace).
However, thanks to modern technology like Dragon, (the computer software) things are a lot easier. Dragon helps me to write on the computer without even touching the keys. How? By speaking into a microphone that reacts and types what I’m saying right before my eyes. I would also like to say thanks to my parents and great teachers. They make my learning so much easier in different ways to prepare me for the years to come.
I might not be the best in school, but my personal strength is music class and singing. It boosts my confidence, although sometimes it feels like all I have is my singing voice to fit in with everyone else.
But, at the end of it all, I’m happy being be no matter what disability or challenge I face. It’s what make me, me. And I love being me!
I CAN’T BELIEVE I JUST WROTE THIS!
ReadingRdaineg/ Am I so different?
Isabelle Désilets
Hi, my name is Isabelle Désilets and I’m 12 years old. My sister is two years younger than me and she has been struggling with dyslexia her whole life. I’ve done a couple of school projects (including this one) about dyslexia to learn more about it and see what it feels like. Although I can’t experience the “real thing” I can just imagine how frustrating it would be! My sister and I are similar in some areas but in reading we’re in two completely different worlds. I like reading. I sometimes do it in my spare time. My sister reads because she HAS to. She doesn’t enjoy it. I wrote the following poem to distinguish the differences we feel when we read.
ReadingRdaineg
Reading is Love
Reading is fun
Reading gives me strength
Reading is a friend
Reading makes me think