WOUB/WOUC-TV Presents Reading Rainbow's Sixth Annual "Young Writers & Illustrators" Contest

Contact: Olivea Oldham, Public Information Coordinator, (740) 593-4944 or Olivea_Oldham@woub.pbs.org

ATHENS, Ohio (January 12, 2001) -- Sharpen those pencils! Get those crayons and magic markers out of the drawer! WOUB/WOUC-TV and Reading Rainbow are kicking off their celebrated Seventh Annual Young Writers & Illustrators Contest.

The Young Writers & Illustrators Contest encourages children from kindergarten to third grade to write and illustrate their own stories. Applications for the Young Writers & Illustrators Contest are available from Ohio University Public Television, WOUB/WOUC-TV and at many public libraries.

"Reading Rainbow's Young Writers & Illustrators Contest invites Reading Rainbow fans to create their own colorful stories while continuing to cultivate their excitement for reading," said Dr. Twila C. Liggett, executive producer of the series.

Noted children's book authors, illustrators, publishers, educators, and representatives from such organizations as the American Library Association and the National Council of Teachers of English make up the panel of national judges, who evaluate the entries and select the winners.

Last year, Reading Rainbow's Young Writers & Illustrators Contest attracted over 40,000 entries nationwide. Local winners included: kindergarten age group-first place, Makayla Wells of Patriot, Ohio; second place, Taylor Walker of Logan, Ohio; and Keenan Nolan of Marietta, Ohio. First grade age group included: first place winner-Molly Webb of Logan, Ohio; Tanner Geil of Logan, Ohio; and Matthew McKnight of Cambridge, Ohio. Second grade age group included: first place winner-Kylie Ignace of Martin's Ferry, Ohio; Paige Young of Cambridge, Ohio; and Sarah Robles of The Plains, Ohio. Third grade winners included: first place winner-Lindsay Morrison of Marietta, Ohio; Alexandra Burris of Zanesville, Ohio; and Peyton Goodie of New Philadelphia, Ohio.

Entries are judged at WOUB/WOUC-TV, and local winners will then advance to the national competition. Each child that enters the contest receives a special Certificate of Achievement signed by Reading Rainbow's host LeVar Burton. Prizes for the national 1st and 2nd place winners include a computer and printer, VCR, and a Reading Rainbow library set, featuring ten videos and book titles. A similar Reading Rainbow set is awarded to each winner's local school and public library.

Now entering its 18th season, Reading Rainbow has received enthusiastic international acclaim and garnered more than 150 awards, including 13 Emmys (five for "Outstanding Children's Series"), a prestigious Peabody, seven CINE Golden Eagles, four Parent's Choice Awards, and three international Prix Jeunesse Awards. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) has twice honored LeVar Burton for his role on Reading Rainbow with their Image Award. The series is the most-used program in classrooms nationwide, according to the 1997 Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Study of School Uses of Television and Video.

Reading Rainbow is a production of GPN/Nebraska ETV Network and WNED-TV Buffalo, and is produced by Lancit Media Entertainment, Ltd., a JuniorNet company. Reading Rainbow is made possible by a generous grant from Barnes & Noble Bookstores and barnesandnoble.com. Funding is also provided by The National Science Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and public television viewers. Reading Rainbow is a registered trademark of GPN/WNED-TV.

For additional information about Reading Rainbow's Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, contact WOUB/WOUC-TV at (740) 593-1771 or find out the guidelines or to view last year's stories, go to: www.woub.org/kids

Phone and personal interviews are available. Contact Suzanne Roberts, Outreach Coordinator, (740) 593-0359 or Mark Brewer, Director of Television Programming, (740) 593-1771