PBS KIDS Announces Annual PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest

National Contest Open to Kids in Grades K-3; Panel of Acclaimed Honorary Judges to Review Top Twelve Entries

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, PBS KIDS announced its annual PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest, a national initiative designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The Contest, made possible in part by financial support from Easy Student Publishing and managed by member station WNED, partners with PBS stations nationwide and encourages children in grades K-3 to celebrate creativity by submitting their own original stories and illustrations.

“Together with local stations, we hope this Contest will spark a passion in children and inspire them to explore a world of possibilities.”

“The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest offers a fun and exciting opportunity for kids to express their creativity while gaining valuable literacy skills for success in school and life,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “Together with local stations, we hope this Contest will spark a passion in children and inspire them to explore a world of possibilities.”

How the Contest Works

PBS stations throughout the country will collaborate with schools, public libraries and other community-based organizations to present the Contest in local communities. Each station will select local winners and award prizes.

These local winners will then be entered into the national contest where a panel of esteemed judges will select the top 12 winners. National winners will be announced during the summer of 2013 and the winning stories will be featured on pbskids.org/writerscontest.

The national winners will receive prizes, including tablets, e-readers and MP3 players. Additionally, Highlights for Children has joined the Contest as a new promotional partner and all participants will have the option to receive a print or digital version of Highlights magazine.

PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest Honorary Judges

A panel of America's foremost children's authors, illustrators and content experts will serve as honorary judges for the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest. The 2013 honorary judges include:

• Lisa Henson: As Chief Executive Officer of The Jim Henson Company, Henson serves as an executive producer of Sid the Science Kid and Dinosaur Train, both currently airing daily on PBS KIDS, and Pajanimals, a musical puppet series airing daily on Sprout.
• Jeff Kinney: As a New York Times bestselling author, online game developer and designer, Kinney has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. His seventh book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel, is the biggest print book of 2012. His book series has over 83 million in print worldwide, translated into more than 40 languages. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife and their two sons.
• Kate Klimo: As Vice President and Publisher of the Random House/Golden Books Group, she has been responsible for extending the Seuss brand into new formats including board and novelty books, and publishing non-fiction celebrations of Dr. Seuss's life and works. Klimo has nearly 30 years of experience at Random House; more than 15 of them spent working on All Things Seuss. She is also the production executive of The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! Kate is the author of many books for young readers, including 12 titles in the Cat in the Hat's Learning Library series. She has also written for young adults (The Centauriad Series) and has a new series for children, Dog Diaries, launching in January 2013.
• Jarrett Krosoczka: Two-time winner of the Third to Fourth Grade Book of the Year in the Children’s Choice Book Awards, author and illustrator for sixteen published books – ten picture books and six graphic novels. He has seen his work recommended by national publications like Newsweek, The New York Times and USA Today. His Punk Farm and Lunch Lady series are also in development to be feature films.
• Susan Meddaugh: Author and illustrator of Martha Speaks, the best-selling book series, as well as a creative producer of the award-winning PBS KIDS series of the same name. Susan grew up in New Jersey, studied art and illustration, and now lives in Massachusetts with her family — including her dogs of course.
• R.L. Stine: As one of the best-selling children's authors in history, he has sold over 350 million books that have been read all over the world including Goosebumps - one of the best-selling children’s series of all-time. R.L. lives in New York City with his wife Jane and his dog Minnie.

Creative Writing Resources

The Contest is supported by a robust set of resources for children, parents and teachers. Story ideas, activity sheets, along with the previous winning entries are available on the Contest website to inspire children during the brainstorming process. PBS LearningMedia is also offering a collection of online teacher resources for use in classrooms nationwide.

PBS KIDS is a trusted guide nurturing young learners ages 2- 8. As America’s largest classroom, PBS inspires children to discover their full potential for success in school and in life and serves children wherever they live, learn, and play. More information on participating local stations, general entry rules and contest resources can be found on pbskids.org/writerscontest.

About PBS KIDS GO!

PBS KIDS GO! offers early elementary children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. For more information on specific PBS KIDS GO! content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom, join our community online on Twitter and Facebook, or visit PBSKIDSGO.org.

About WNED

Through WNED-TV, ThinkBright and Well/WORLD TV, WBFO-FM 88.7 and Classical 94.5 WNED, member-supported WNED Buffalo/Toronto provides high quality programming and services to local, regional and national audiences that enlighten, inspire, entertain and educate Western New York and Southern Ontario communities. Additional information about WNED can be found at wned.org.

About Easy Student Publishing

Meet writing standards and motivate students using book-making tools and resources from Easy Student Publishing. With Classbook and Storybook options, free programs, online or mail-in production and expert resources, we have publishing solutions designed for educators. Enhance curriculum, support literacy and promote creativity. Every student can be a published author!

About Highlights for Children, Inc. (www.Highlights.com)

Devoted to "Fun with a Purpose," family media brand Highlights for Children, Inc. has helped children become their best selves for generations. Its flagship publication, Highlights magazine, the most recognizable and widely read children's magazine in the nation, has printed more than a billion copies. Other Highlights offerings include a version for younger children, High Five magazine; a new magazine for babies and their caregivers, Highlights Hello magazine; Highlights for Children book clubs; and mobile applications like My First Hidden Pictures. Highlights can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and at its blog for thoughtful parents, Highlights Aha. Corporate offices are in Columbus, Ohio, and editorial offices are in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Fun with a Purpose, Goofus and Gallant, and Hidden Pictures are trademarks of Highlights for Children, Inc.

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