To participate, students had to read the nonfiction article Code Talkers: The Incredible True Story of the Navajo Marines and the Unbreakable Code That Helped in World War II by Joseph Bruchac. They were then tasked with organizing an essay in response to the prompt: “How did the Code Talkers help the US win World War II and why was this important?”

A contest judge from Scholastic Magazines praised the students’ work, stating that Kaylee and Elyzza’s submission “showed a strong understanding of the text along with the ability to author a well-organized and engaging response.”

Kaylee expressed her enthusiasm for the recognition, saying, “When I first heard of the Code Talkers, I was very impressed with their language. I’m very thankful for being selected and for everyone who helped me!”

Elyzza also shared her excitement about the achievement.

Elyzza Linkerhof is a fourth grader at Eisenhower.

“When I found out that I was one of the top three winners, I was very proud of myself. It was a very long process, but the work was worth it,” she said.

Scholastic highlighted the rigorous selection process for the contest, noting, “Of the hundreds of contest submissions we receive each month, we select winning entries that show strong critical thinking, point of view, and reading and writing skills. Our contest winners demonstrate a commitment to excellence that reflects the quality of classroom enrichment supported by educators.”