For Immediate Release
February 25, 2009
Contact: Susan Coleman
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
145 Ednam Drive Charlottesville, VA 22903
PH: 434-982-2983 FAX: 434-296-4714
Email: spcoleman@virgnia.edu
http://www.virginiafoundation.org/bookcenter
The Virginia Foundation Center for the Book announces the 2008-09 Letters About Literature winners.
Three Virginia students have placed first at the state level in the Letters About Literature Reading and Writing Program. The Level I (Grades 4-6) state winner is Jenny Labovitz of Colvin Run Elementary, Vienna, for her letter to Barbara Park, author of The Graduation of Jake Moon. The Level II (Grades 7-8) state winner is Charlotte Keeley of Buford School, Charlottesville, for her letter to Julie Andrews Edwards, author of The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles.. The Level III (Grades 9-12) winner is Michael Graham of Deep Run High School, Richmond, for his letter to Mitch Album, author of Tuesdays With Morrie.
1,046 Virginia students entered the competition; over 50,000 participated nationwide. Podcasts and copies of the winning entries will be available later this spring at www.virginiafoundation.org/bookcenter. Guidelines, application materials, and teaching resources for the 2009-2010 competition will be available in late summer.
Students in grades 4 through 12 were invited to write a letter to the author of a favorite book. They could select authors from any genre — fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Each of the state winners also receives a cash prize and a giftcard from Target Stores and are invited to read aloud their letters at the March 18 Opening Ceremony of the 2009 Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville. They automatically are entered into the national competition, with judging results due later this spring.
Letters About Literature is sponsored nationally by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and Target Stores.