PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest

Milwaukee Public Television announces the launch of PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest, a national/local contest designed to promote the advancement of children’s reading skills through hands-on active learning. The Contest encourages children in grades kindergarten through grade three to celebrate the power of creating stories and illustrations and submitting their own original pieces to MPTV.

The national contest, produced through a partnership with PBS KIDS GO! and WNED-TV Buffalo/Toronto will build on the 15-year legacy and foundation of the Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. MPTV was the local sponsor of the Reading Rainbow Contest for fifteen years with considerable success.

Beginning on January 27, 2010, public television stations throughout the country will officially become active partners in the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest and will work with schools, public libraries and other literacy organizations to implement the Contest in their communities. Children will be encouraged to write and illustrate stories and submit them to MPTV, which will select local winners and award prizes. Local first-place winners in each grade level (K- grade 3) will be entered into the national level of the Contest where a panel of judges will identify the national winners. Winners will be announced and national prizes, including laptops, digital cameras and MP3 players will be awarded in summer 2010.

Every participating public television station conducts its own local contest and sets its own local deadline for entries. The MPTV deadline for entries is Monday, March 1, 2010. The rules of the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest are the same as the 2009 Reading Rainbow Contest rules. Click here for the official rules and here for the official entry form. Please use this site for all your contest information. Click here to access the 2010 MPTV Guidelines.

MPTV urges parents and teachers to begin the writing process with their children earlier than the official start date set by PBS. Writing takes time and our young MPTV writers and illustrators should begin thinking about, planning and working on their stories as soon as possible. Writing a good story takes time and today would be a good day to begin.

MPTV encourages the establishment of ‘Writing Clubs’ within schools. Children in those focused clubs tend to do exceptional work and tend to do well in the Contest. For information about starting a children’s “Writers Club” or scheduling a writing process workshop for children or an adult workshop for those interested in supporting participation, contact Darlyne Haertlein, MPTV writing contest coordinator and supervisor of MPTV outreach services at 414-297-7518 or haertled@matc.edu.

Funding for the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest is provided in part by the Assurant Health Foundation, the Law Firm of Hupy and Abraham and the Harley-Davidson Foundation.