Nine writers advance to state

A handful of Delano students have been recognized for excellence in writing, and have advanced to the state level in the national Letters About Literature contest.

 

Out of 495 letters submitted in the initial round of competition, 43 writers advanced to state in Minnesota, and nearly a quarter of those state qualifiers come from Delano Middle School.

 

“We don’t usually have that many,” said DMS teacher Jessica Benker, adding that local students have competed in the Library of Congress event regularly in past years.

 

In the contest, students choose a book that made an impact on the way they think or act, then write a five-paragraph letter to the author explaining its affect on them.

 

“It’s not complimenting the author. They actually have to synthesize how the book changed them as a person,” said Benker. “It’s not just a summary, so it’s kind of a higher level for a lot of the kids.”

 

Sixth-graders who have advanced to state from DMS include Hailey Bilger (“Nightmares”), Haley Champeau (“Marley & Me"), Grace Danielson (“Wonder”), Owen Dickhausen (“Wonder”), Logan Felknor (“Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key”), Brooklyn Gillette (“The Giving Tree”), Kiersten Koets (“The 14th Goldfish”), Miranda Wagner ("Warriors”) and Megan Westberg (“Esther”).

 

As a group, those students said they were excited to learn they were among only about 10 percent of participants who had advanced to state.

 

“I was surprised and happy,” said Wagner.

 

“It was a good opportunity to express our opinions,” said Danielson.

 

Students and teacher alike said the project can involve a fair amount of emotion.

 

“It gets pretty personal, some of their letters,” said Benker. “You learn about your students, the way they view the world and how a book changed their thinking.”

 

Benker added that it is good for students to have a way to distinguish themselves in a discipline like writing, which can’t be tested and measured in the same objective way math or science can.

 

In the past some students have actually mailed their letters to the authors after the assignment was finished, and some have received responses back.

 

Students should find out if they advance beyond state to nationals by the end of the school year.