The Great Plains Network is pleased to announce the WINNERS of Penning with the Pros, a project exclusively for K-12 schools in Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota and Oklahoma. The titles link to the actual text of the composition.

POETRY
First: "Eaten by an Alligator" by A. Hall - Grade 5
Indian Hills Elementary School; Topeka, Kansas; Teacher: Kyle Nelson

Second: "Fear" by M. Orsborn - Grade 10
Bethel High School; Bethel, Oklahoma; Teacher: Christian Herring

Third: "Never Enough" by S. Simonson - Grade 11
Fargo North High School; Fargo, North Dakota; Teacher: Marianna Malm

Honorable Mention: "Untitled" by A. Noxon - Grade 12
Bethel High School; Shawnee, Oklahoma; Teacher: Christian Herring

SHORT STORY
First: "Edward Michael Mculah" by J. Mayers - Grade 11
Elsberry High School; Elsberry, Missouri; Teacher: Anna Griffith Boley

Second: "A Bond of Hearts" by E. Kenner - Grade 5
Central Middle School; Devils Lake, North Dakota; Teacher: Mary Jean Olson

Third: "Wisps of Darkness" by A. Hanley - Grade 9
Brewster Schools; Brewster, Kansas; Teacher: Delores Depe

Honorable Mention: "Blessings in Disguise" by S. Rott - Grade 10
Anamoose High School; Anamoose, North Dakota; Teacher: Candy Lemer

ESSAY
First: "Child and Teen Obesity" by S. Vanhooser - Grade 9
Waller Junior High School; Enid, Oklahoma; Teacher: Sheryl Douma

Second: "Underage Drinking" by A. Mann - Grade 11
Satanta High School; Satanta, Kansas; Teacher: Karen Burrows

Third: "Untitled" by C. Rudolf - Grade 12
Beulah Middle School; Beulah, North Dakota; Teacher: Amy Benz

Honorable Mention: "Flying with the Wright Brothers" by G. Meyer - Grade 5
Jefferson Elementary; Conception, Missouri; Teacher: Renee Wilcox

Who participated? 

112 K-12 students in Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota and Oklahoma

13 University faculty in Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota and Oklahoma

What was the breakdown in compositions?

Essays  - 21 students

Poetry – 33 students

Short Stories – 58 students 

*some students sent in multiple compositions 

What was the grade breakdown?

Grade 3 – 2 students

Grade 4 – 3 students

Grade 5 – 17 students

Grade 6 – 9 students

Grade 7 – 2 students

Grade 8 – 19 students

Grade 9 – 27 students

Grade 10 – 7 students

Grade 11 – 24 students

Grade 12 – 2 students

How many participants per state?

Kansas – 24 students

Missouri – 26 students

North Dakota – 32 students

Oklahoma - 30 students

How many schools participated?

There were 21 schools and 24 teachers

Which schools participated?

KANSAS

Missouri 

North Dakota

Oklahoma

Rules of the Contest

Penning with the Pros is a writing contest with the end result being a publication of the winning pieces. This project will run throughout the 2003-2004 school year. The authors of the winning compositions will be notified in May. Each school will have a minimum of one published work.

Grand Prize winners attend will receive prize money for virtual fieldtrips. In the three categories, essays, short stories and poetry, first prize will be granted $500, second place $300, and third place will receive $200.

Students in K-12 grade levels will take advantage of Internet2 to interact with authors and each other via videoconferencing, web pages, and streaming video. Meet with published authors where you can discuss the basics of writing: where ideas come from; how do I start; how do I publish; and they will practice peer editing under the guidance of the professional writers. Students will use develop three different forms of composition, essays, short stories and poetry.

An example of interaction between students and authors is a video conference of Sheryl Douma's class from Waller Jr. High in Enid, Oklahoma talking with Kevin Brooks from North Dakota State University. Two versions are available depending on the speed of your network connection.

High speed network connection
Low speed network connection

Contact Kristen Klaver at kklaver@ou.edu for more information.

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