ATHENS, Ohio --The winners of the WOUB/WOUC-TV Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest were recently announced. The contest, which instructed children to write and illustrate their own story, was open for entries from January to April, 2002, and over 100 children from kindergarten through third grade participated. The winners were chosen the first week of April, and the four first place stories are being judged for the National Reading Rainbow Contest.

After the 12 finalists were chosen, prizes were given during WOUB's "Station Celebration" where the children and their families were invited to the Ohio University Telecommunications Center to participate in a pizza party, read their stories on WOUB-AM Athens, create a video featuring themselves reading their very own stories and tour the Telecommunications Center. All of the other entrants received a book and a Reading Rainbow certificate signed by Reading Rainbow Host, LeVar Burton.

The winners circle includes a first, second and third place for kindergarten through third graders. Carolyn Bailey Lewis, director and general manager of the stations, also wrote a personal letter to parents and principals of each child winning the local contest.

Outreach Assistant Denise Birchfield said, "There were a lot of stories related to the events of September 11, and this writing contest was a wonderful opportunity for the participants to express their feelings about the world around them."

The illustrated books of the following first place winners will be eligible for the National Reading Rainbow Contest conducted by PBS. The National Contest will be judged by authors, illustrators, publishers and educaters. Winners will be selected in June.

• Kindergarten:
  1st Place: Dani Ruedisueli, "The Day I Was Born," Athens, OH
  2nd Place: Jordyn Hynus, "Lucky Leprechaun Day," Logan, OH
  3rd Place: Joey Fisher, "My Backyard Pond," Coolville, OH
• First Grade:
  1st Place: Emily VanSickle, "Tigerlilly," Gallipolis, OH
  2nd Place: Dalton Flanagan, "The Candy Factory," Nashport, OH
  3rd Place: Alane Suhr, "Magnet Head," The Plains, OH
• Second Grade:
  1st Place: Andrew Gibbons, "A Trout's Tale," Millfield, OH
  2nd Place: Jackie Ruedisueli, "Me and My Pet Katydid," Athens, OH
  3rd Place: Erin Elizabeth Phillips, "How We Got Our Dogs," Little Hocking, Ohio
• Third Grade:
  1st Place: Blake Smith, "The Orgami Bird," McConnelsville, OH
  2nd Place: Morgan Mitchell, "Make the World a Better Place," Gratiot, OH
  3rd Place: Micholas Orlando, "The Firefly that Found His Light," Senecaville, OH

For more information, contact Denise Birchfield at (740) 593-0113, or check the winners at the WOUB Web site.