Announcing the Spring Essay Contest Finalists!

Congratulations to everyone who entered our Spring Essay Contest: The Good News From Your Public School. We received many terrific stories about your public school experiences and the Gather Editorial Team had a tough time selecting the finalists. In case you forgot, the twenty finalists will be sent to our guest judge, 89.3 KPCC public radio commentator Sandra Tsing Loh, who will select the Grand Prize Winner.  

The winning author will receive a $500 children's book basket from publisher Barefoot Books. Also, the winning story will be recorded for download from the 89.3 KPCC website and reviewed for possible inclusion in an upcoming program. Two runners up will each receive a $250 children's book bundle, courtesy of Barefoot Books.

And the finalists are… 

1.         Susan Smith Bakhshian: The Cage

2.         Eileen Dorn: Still Waiting

3.         Melissa Cole Essig: Public School Babies

4.         Donna F.: Adventure is a Good Thing

5.         Anna Hirsh: Beautiful Minds

6.         Venida Korda: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

7.         Ite Laird: We Love A.V.!

8.         Carolyn Liesy: A Janitor's Observation About School Reform

9.         Paula Lonergan: Skills of a Lifetime

10.       Michelle Lopes: What They Did To Me

11.       Sheryl Martinez: Life Lessons and Lemon Slices

12.       Kyla McCarrel: Pleasantly Surprised!

13.       Deborah Norden: Garden Club

14.       Kenneth Phillips: Geometry: The Bridge to the New Millenium

15.       Seth Shteir: Eugene Doherty's Gift

16.       Becky Still: Beyond the Test Scores

17.       Margaret Thornley: A Tiskit, A Taskit

18.       Jessica Van der Valk: Steal This Book… and Cry

19.       Brittany Webb: Public School Essay

20.       Joan Wolstein: The Wednesday Reader

           
Once again, special thanks to Barefoot Books and 89.3 KPCC, Southern California Public Radio!