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Local Students Excell In Statewide “Letters About Literature” Contest

May 20, 2019 02:50PM ● By Staff Writer

The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana announces the 2019 winners of the annual Letters About Literature contest.

Kelon George of Prairie Elementary School in Lafayette placed 2nd while Athena Constantine and Lydia O'Kelly-Farrell (Lafayette), along with Krissi Doucet (Breaux Bridge) made the finals.  

This year, 242 fourth through twelfth grade Louisiana students wrote personal letters to authors, living or dead, to explain how their work changed the students’ way of thinking about the world or themselves. The winning works ranging from fiction to nonfiction, science fiction to realism, and included books by a former president and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

Winning students will be recognized at the Louisiana Book Festival on Sat., November 2nd, in Baton Rouge, with the first place winners reading their letters.

For a complete list of names and to read the winning letters Click Here.

Level 1 – Grades 4-6

2nd Place Winner: Kelon George

Prairie Elementary School, Lafayette - Teacher: Kirby Jambon

Level 2 – Grades 6-7

Finalist: Athena Constantine

David Thibodeaux STEM Magnet School, Lafayette - Teacher: Amanda Welter

Level 3 – Grades 9-12 -Independent Submissions (no school identified)

Finalist: Krissi Doucet, Breaux Bridge & Finalist: Lydia O'Kelly-Farrell, Lafayette

The 2018-2019 Letters About Literature contest for young readers is made possible by a generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, with additional support from gifts to the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliate Centers for the Book, state libraries and other organizations. Funding for prizes is provided by the grant.