Elementary class wins national book publishing contest

April 28, 2011

TARA RICHELLE HOPKINS
Reporter
feature@borgernewsherald.com
One of Borger’s elementary school classes is celebrating a milestone, the publishing of a book!
Debbie Maxwell‘s 2010- 2011 first grade class from Gateway Elementary School recently saw a book it put together published!
The students chose their own topic, gathered information from computer, books, articles, etc., then each wrote a story using the gathered information and put it in to book form. They planned, drafted, revised, edited, then published their book titled “Dinosaurs” published by Studentreasures, a free school-wide publishing program.
Authors of the book are Jett, Britley, Roger, Bailor, Jewel, Grace Brianna, Israel, Zoe, Emma, Tatum, Keara, Lily Jennessa, Katie, Landon, Landen, Beau, Julian, Caleb, and Marissa. Last names were not presented in the book.
The book was written in three weeks time, then sent off in March and placed in the Studentreasures National Book Challenge Contest. Each year all Studentreasures student publishing program participants have the chance to become $100 winners in their National Book Challenge.
Books are judged for originality, story line, and illustration. Last year over 7,000 schools throughout the United States participated in the publishing project. From their submissions, 26 National Book Challenge winners were selected and awarded $100.
Mrs, Maxwell has entered in this contest many times with her previous classes, but this is the first class she has had that won the contest. Mrs. Maxwell received the e-mail stating that they had won the contest on April 26, The class received $100, and each student will receive a copy of the published book, ribbon, certificate, a copy for the school’s library, and will have the chance to be entered in the Community Choice Award.
Mrs. Maxwell stated, “These students worked very hard on this book and I want to give them the chance to have something to show for it.”
She continued to say, “When these kids first got here they could barely write full sentences and have progressed so much since then.” The students are very excited to actually have a book that has been published. The book will be used as a sample book and is available for friends and family online to purchase.