Donnie Dodson and Shawn Dwyer were selected as State Finalists in the Letters about Literature Contest, the signature reading and writing program sponsored by the Library of Congress and the Maryland Humanities Council Center for the Book. This year’s field was the most competitive ever, with more than 2,300 students entering from around the state. About 33-35 individuals were chosen at each level. Our fourth graders competed at Level 1, and our seventh graders at Level 2.

All our fourth and seventh grade students learn to sharpen their writing skills. They learned to compose a lead that will grab and hold the attention of their readers (the contest’s judges). They learned to truly communicate with, not just compliment, an author, telling him or her why the book mattered to them. They learned to use active verbs and tell their own story. They learned to conclude on a strong note. This year, fourth and seventh graders celebrated the completion of their letter-writing process by having a Christmas Literary Party, talking about books, and reading a poem of their choice while indulging in crackers and cheese, grapes, and veggies and dip. 

In the Letters about Literature competition, students write a letter to an author who has written a book, poem, or essay that has deepened their understanding of the world and enlarged their self-knowledge. Donnie wrote to Stephen Crane about The Red Badge of Courage.  Shawn Dwyer wrote to Susan Campbell Bartoletti about The Boy Who Dared.

Congratulations to Donnie and Shawn! They made their families, who turned out for the award ceremony at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore on April 16, very proud. They made their classmates and school proud, because students critique each other’s letters. Mrs. Barry, our Librarian, who led the Letters about Literature program, is proud of Donnie and Shawn and all the fourth and seventh grade students who cudgeled their brains and poured their hearts and dreams out in their Letters.