Local students involved in book award event
Friday, October 16, 2009
Almost 150 Lyon County students were part of the William Allen White Children’s Book Award celebration held here on Saturday. Two dozen Lowther Intermediate students served as Lowther Ambassadors and more than 100 students from nine Emporia schools and the North Lyon County School District attended as part of the Young Writers Conference.
The celebration honored guest authors Sara Pennypacker and Jennifer Roy, winners of the 2009 White Book Awards. During the awards ceremony, William Allen White Elementary School students received the annual Spirit Award for their enthusiastic participation during the parade.
Poster contest winners included Lowther North students Deanna Diaz and Destinee Bush, who won second and third places in the Grade 6 through 8 contest. Walnut fourth-grader Andrew Nguyen won third place in the Grade 3 through 5 contest. Participating students selected the poster contest winners.
Twenty-four Emporia fifth- and sixth-grade students were selected to serve as ambassadors for the celebration. The students were selected based on an application and short essay submitted by each.
The 2009 ambassadors are: Odalis Hernandez, Bailey Estes, Kylee Giffin, Danya Brewer, Stephanie Guillen, Tiffany Labrada, Breanna Brecheisen, Ryan Anders and Claire Davis, sixth grade; and Janet Torres, Jessica Samuels, Braydon Olinger, Kelsey Gordon, Rylie Templeton, Atalin Doudican, Ariauna Brinker-Zorn, Blair Meyer, Araceli Magana, Karly Goulden, Madelyn Young, Sara Robinson, Idely Alarcon, Kelly Gutierrez and Cierra Hall, fifth grade.
The ambassador program was coordinated by Kay Carl, Lowther librarian, and Donna Young and Jennifer Durham, Lowther library clerks.
The Lowther Ambassador Program was created in 2006. The ambassadors assist the event planning committee during the morning activities at Emporia State University and lead the parade from ESU to White Auditorium.
W.A. White students and staff that received the Spirit Award were: Ahmad Scott, Anthony Holmes, Amber Caldwell, Travis Hendricks, Debrina Alvino, Adrian Sanchez, Isabell Coria, Isaac Bates, Bella Bates, Connor Shoemaker, Gabriela Ramirez, Joseph Coron, Jennifer Sanchez, Addie Velazquez, Abner Calderon, Oscar Bedolla, Lena Mose, and faculty members Sheri Bonnet, Jenna Hoag, Jill Hendry and Alberto Carrillo.
The Young Writers’ Conference is sponsored by the Emporia Public Schools with financial support from area schools, businesses, organizations and individuals. This was the first year the conference was held in conjunction with the White book awards. Classroom teachers at the participating schools select students in Grades 3 through 8 to attend the conference based on their writing. Each student received a book, a T-shirt and a book bag.