A total of 11 county students – six from Eisenhower Elementary School, four from Warren Area Elementary Center, and one from Youngsville Elementary School – were among the winners of the WQLN PBS Kids Writing Contest, including four first-place-award winners.

“Students from across Warren County in grades K-5 submitted stories into the WQLN PBS Kids Writers Contest,” Gifted Support Teacher Rebecca Downey said. “There were 160 stories with original illustrations that were submitted from Warren Area Elementary Center, Eisenhower Elementary School and Beaty Warren Middle School.”

The top three stories at each grade level — kindergarten through fifth — are awarded.

Warren County had students place first in four of the six grade levels — Elodie Criswell (first grade at EES), Lydia Carlstrom (second grade at EES), Isabella Wenzel (third grade at WAEC), and Cailee Williams (fourth grade at EES).

Photo submitted to Times Observer Vincent Bidwell was one of 10 Warren County School District students to place in the WQLN PBS Kids Writing Contest.

Also placing were: Nora Colvin of EES, kindergarten — second place; Hope Lowe of WAEC, kindergarten — third place; Vincent Bidwell of YES, first grade — third place; Elliott Sickler of WAEC, second grade — third place; Grant Criswell of EES, second place — third grade; Landon Coppersmith of WAEC, third grade — third place; Juliet Fargo of EES, fifth grade — second place.

“WQLN reported that there were 271 stories submitted this year from across the region,” Downey said.

“WQLN PBS KIDS Writers Contest is designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning,” according to the contest’s website. “The contest invites kids to experience the hands-on process of developing their own stories and illustrations, which builds language skills such as reading, grammar and syntax, and encourages creativity.”

Photo submitted to Times Observer Nora Colvin was one of 10 Warren County School District students to place in the WQLN PBS Kids Writing Contest.

Photo submitted to Times Observer Warren County School District students who placed in the WQLN PBS Kids Writing Contest include (from left) Elliott Sickler, Landon Coppersmith, Hope Lowe, Grant Criswell, Elodie Criswell, Juliette Fargo, Cailee Williams, and Lydia Carlstrom.