Young writer|3rd-grader inks way to national contest

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 20, 2009

A Vicksburg homeschooler has won first place in her grade level in a state writing contest, and she will advance to the national competition.

Elizabeth Cowan, 9, the daughter of Mark and Jennifer Cowan, entered the 2009 Mississippi Public Broadcasting “Reading Rainbow” Young Writers and Illustrators Contest and won first place for her 12-page book, “Once A Little Dragon.”

“I was very, very, very excited,” said Elizabeth, a third-grader.

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The contest is open to kindergartners to third-graders who have written and illustrated their own stories. MPB received 400 entries from 40 different schools, and 14 first-, second- and third-place and honorable mention certificates were given. The first-place winners, a total of four, in each category will advance to the national competition.

This is the third year Elizabeth has entered the contest, but the first time she has won an award for her work.

As a first-grader, she wrote and illustrated a book titled “Pup Gets Lost,” about a puppy that gets lost at the park, but finds its mother with the help of a neighbor.

Elizabeth’s mother, a former school teacher who taught third grade at Grove Street Elementary for four years and first grade for four years in Texas, says her daughter has always been interested in writing and drawing and has been making her own books since she was 3 years old.

“She wanted to enter (the contest),” said Cowan. “She likes reading, and she watches ‘Reading Rainbow.’”

“Reading Rainbow” is a PBS show that encourages kids to read.

Elizabeth’s winning book, complete with an illustrative collage, is about a dragon named Charles who learns how to fly. She received much of her inspiration from her 3-year-old brother, who gave her plenty of ideas for her story.

Elizabeth is interested in history and is being encouraged by her mother to read books that go along with the time period she is studying. Besides reading and writing, Elizabeth enjoys playing games on the computer and attends classes at Debra Franco Preparatory School of Dance.

Elizabeth and her family will attend an awards banquet May 28 in Jackson. She, along with the other winners, will read their stories aloud on MPB radio, but no word yet on when that will take place.

Each entrant received a certificate signed by “Reading Rainbow” host LaVar Burton, also known for playing Geordi La Forge on the TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Elizabeth hopes to enter more contests and aspires to be a writer.

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Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchan@vicksburgpost.com