University Libraries Hosts Letters About Literature Award Ceremony
- April 27th, 2018
- by Donna
- in Uncategorized
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The Alabama Center for the Book will honor state winners of the 25th Annual Letters About Literature contest at an award ceremony on Saturday, April 28, at 11 a.m. in Gorgas Library, room 205, at The University of Alabama.
Letters About Literature is a national reading and writing contest for students in grades four through 12. Students are asked to read a book, poem or play and write a reflective letter to the author about how the author’s work changed them or their view of the world.
The competition is sponsored by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliates.
Guest speaker will be Adam Davis from Dothan.
Davis is a former police officer with experience as a patrol officer, traffic homicide investigator, criminal investigator, and hostage negotiator. In 2015, shortly after releasing his first book, Spirit & Truth: 52 Encouraging Messages for America’s Law Enforcement, Davis shifted his focus from serving in active law enforcement to service in ministry, writing and business.
“Winners, semi-finalists, parents and teachers are invited to attend the awards ceremony,” said Donna Adcock, director of public relations, University Libraries, and director of the Alabama Center for the Book. “First-place winners will receive a $100 gift card, second place will receive a $75 gift card and third place winners will receive a $50 gift card.” All semi-finalists will receive certificates.
The number of entries from Alabama, 479, more than doubled from last year. After two rounds of judging, 52 letters were selected as semi-finalists.
The first-place winners in each state competition will be entered into a national competition where overall winners will be selected in each level. National winners in each competition level will receive $1,000.
The 2018 Alabama Letters About Literature winners are:
Level 1 (grades 4-6)
First place: Faith Swanson, Daphne
Second place: Katelyn Elrod, Birmingham
Third place: Gabriella Elise Barrera, Montgomery
Level 2 (grades 7-8)
First place: Morgan Streeter, Hoover
Second place: Olivia Honeycutt, Birmingham
Third place: Joseph Katz, Birmingham
Level 3 (grades 9-12)
First place: Zionne McCrear, Gardendale
Second place: Laura Tatum, Pelham
Third place: Jamie Abbott, Pelham
The Alabama Center for the Book is an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and housed in the University Libraries at The University of Alabama. The Alabama Center for the Book supports reading, literacy and other book-related activities in Alabama as well as promotes appreciation of regional writers. The Center is a founding co-sponsor of the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame.
The University of Alabama Libraries is essential in advancing the educational mission of the University. We provide innovative instruction, services and resources to facilitate teaching, research and learning. University Libraries is committed to be student-centered and research-focused in order to support discovery, learning and creativity at the Capstone.