2008-2009
Create a Character Contest

Congratulations to all of our winners!

     We recieved more than 9,000 entries to this year's Create a Character Contest. And of course we read every single one. To all of you who entered, thank you for making this contest the best ever!

     We want to say a huge thank you to Roland Smith, author extraordinaire. Not only do we adore Roland's books (have you read his latest, Elephant Run?? It's amazing!), but he is also a true friend to Storyworks. We are proud to have published five of Roland's stories over the past decade, a record for Storyworks. And we love the story he created for this contest!

We love Roland!

We also have to give a huge round of applause to Storyworks Assistant Editor Robbin Friedman. Robbin does many things for Storyworks—the book reviews, Vocab-U-Larry, Web site activities, and generally brightening up our days. But her biggest and most important job is overseeing our contests. You should see what Robbin's office looks like as the entries pour in. Sometimes we need to send in a search-and-rescue team to pull her out from under the piles of entries.

Thank you Robbin!

AND THE WINNERS ARE....

Grand-Prize Winner:

Janie Groetsch, 10
Bennett Woods School
Okemos, Michigan
Teacher: Mr. Banas

Finalists:

Jaynie Ellis, 10
Stuart M. Townsend Middle School
Lake Luzerne, New York
Teacher: Mrs. Berrigan

Character: Julia
11-year-old Julia is upset when her grandma moves into the attic where her art studio was supposed to be! But after her dad surprises Julia with a studio in the basement, she learns that being nice and giving something up could get her something unexpected in return.

Hannah Colby, 9
Mitchell Elementary
Woodbury, Connecticut
Teacher: Mrs. Massimin

Character: Ice Slammin’ Sam
Bullies make fun of 10-year-old Sam for being “uncool.” But that doesn’t stop Sam from practicing to be an Olympic ice skater—especially after he meets a football-loving girl who teaches him that following your dreams is more important than fitting in.
  
Nick Hagen, 11
Robert Miller Elementary
Bismarck, North Dakota
Teacher: Miss Michels

Character: Will Smith
11-year-old Will can’t say no to anything—even jumping into a dumpster! He visits a mind reader and a doctor for help, but to no avail. Thankfully, his little sister teaches him how one day, and he is cured!

Tom Bugg, 10
San Antonio Academy of Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Teacher: Mrs. Longoria

Character: Onnessimus Oscar Ogleby
Onnessimus is 11 and dreams of becoming a U.S. Senator. One day, he finds a rare coin that was stolen from a museum. He embarks on adventurous research campaign to find out the coin’s origin in order to return it to its rightful owner.

Runners-up:

• Ben Adams, Omaha, NE
• Dana N. Alward, Satellite Beach, FL
• Devyn Antunes, Acushnet, MA
• Anastasiya Bender, Santa Cruz, CA
• Beccah Lynn Blevins, Lenoir City, TN
• Elizabeth Boucher, Middletown, CT
• Shawna Britton, Erie, PA
• Kodey Bruce, Tooele, UT
• Alexander Caifa, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY
• Madeline Dale, Nixa, MO
• Hector Dinardo, Fawn Grove, PA
• Nikki Dombrowski, Crystal Lake, IL
• Andrew Donnell, Houston, TX
•Yamilee Eveillard, Valley Stream, NY
• Annabelle Finlayson, Hanover, NH
• Rayah Finley, Louisville, KY
• Zachary Gallin, Irvington, NY
• Erica Gause, Bloomsburg, PA
• Ashley Giles, Edgecomb, ME
• Brooke Gilstad, Ashley, ND
• Haley Goldade, Bismarck, ND
• Joey Goldman, Centennial, CO
• Emma Greene, Lincolnwood, IL
• Kinsey Greve, Evergreen, CO
• Alyssa Grubbs, Belmont, MS
• Nora Harris, Amherst, NY
• Hannah Heck, St. Joseph, MO
• Baylie Heibel, Hannibal, MO
• Tammy Hoang, Arlington, VA
• Jocelyn Homer, Alexander, NY
• Emily Howard, Averill Park, NY
• Louisa Izydorczak, Amherst, NY
• Daniel Jarris, Cedar City, UT
• Matthew Jensen, Fairfield, CT
• Taylor Milan Jimerson, Youngsville, LA
• Alex Johnson, Raleigh, NC
• Austin Johnson, Littleton, CO
• Joshua Johnson, White Oak, TX
• Sadie Jolly, St. Joseph, MO
• Jeff Kang, Dublin, CA
• Emma Kim, Stratham, NH
• Brittany Lawson, Batesville, AR
• Paige Lonier, Williamston, MI
• Angelica Mangaliman, Las Cruces, NM
• Julie McCarthy, Reading, MA
• Billy McDonald, Bethel Park, PA
• Sydney McKasson, Arcata, CA
• Lucas McMahan, Centennial, CO
• Alyssa Miller, Lima, OH
• Kiera Morgan, Middleburgh, NY
• Kayla Mumm, Knoxville, TN
• Jackson Novick, Los Angeles, CA
• Katherine Orr, Middletown, DE
• Cameron Peek, Caledonia, MI
• Sophie Pollack, Los Angeles, CA
• Illiana Rangel, Oak Lawn, IL
• Alec Ratliff, Knoxville, TN
• Katherine Reckamp, Lima, OH
• Olivia Richards, Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Sofia Schleppenbach, Dallas, TX
• Erin Sherrer, Williamston, MI
• Gemma Shoupp, Jupiter, FL
• Michelle Shvimer, Royal Oak, MI
• Noah Simon, Los Angeles, CA
• Dustin Smith, San Antonio, TX
• Wendy Smith, Middletown, CT
• Magee Snyder, Trumbull, CT
• Brittany Stirewalt, Waxhaw, NC
• Abby Wallner, Lindenhurst, NY
• Cidney Wright, Jacksonville, FL
• Madison Anne Wright, Cary, NC
• Gabby Zanigua, Mendelein, IL
• Helen Zylinska, Hillsborough, NY