William Achnitz

WOMEN’S CLUB AWARDS YOUNG WRITERS

By STEPHEN HAMMILL
shammill@mediagenreal.com

For 16 students, appreciation came with applause as parents, teachers and friends all gathered to recognize their literary contributions.

On Jan. 17, the Lutz Community Center hosted an awards reception for an annual writing contest for Pasco and Hillsborough county students.

The Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Women’s Club, which belongs to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), sponsored the event once again.

Students in grades one through 12 may enter one poem or one short story. Poems can be any style with a minimum length of eight lines and a maximum length of 30 lines. Short stories, on any topic, must be 2,000 words or less.

Seven-year old Jazmine Williams was invited to read her poem, “Why Worry About Tomorrow,” which won for poetry in grades one through three. Jazmine’s family was on hand to watch her receive the award.

“We were very surprised to find out she won,” said Magnolia Williams, Jazmine’s mother, “but we knew she could do it. She has a great teacher.”

Her teacher is Rosa Washington. Washington has taught second grade at Lowry Elementary in Town ‘N Country for five years, and has been a teacher in Hillsborough County for more than 30.

“In a way it’s not a surprise because she is such an exciting and enthusiastic student. She’s always going beyond,” said Washington.

Another Lowry second-grader, Amber Achnitz, won for her story “Homeless Are People Too,” which her dad said came from a real-life experience.

“The contest asked her to write about what she’s grateful for,” recalled William Achnitz. He takes food to the homeless regularly and recently brought his daughter along for the first time. When they got home, Amber went upstairs and wrote things out.

“I was surprised,” her dad said. “I read it the first time and cried.”

According to Amber’s teacher, Marlene Sacarello, “She was so excited to win, just thrilled. She’s always had a niche for writing.” When Sacarello first read Amber’s piece, she also cried, as did the some of the judges.

The two Lowry second-graders posed together for photos with their teachers after the event.

Nine-year-old Olivia Marshall is a fourth-grade student at Independent Day School-Corbett campus in Carrollwood. She won the story award for grades four though six with her piece “The Legend of the Black Candle.”

Her teachers, Kim Rostick and Maureen Birmingham, were there to see Olivia read her story. Rostick turned Olivia on to the contest originally.
Olivia recalled that when Ms. Rostick first heard about her win, “she started jumping up and down, screaming,” recalled Olivia.

The GFWC is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. The club has sponsored the writing contest for nearly 15 years now.

Women’s club president Barbara Nicholson said the club’s mission is “to encourage literacy and creativity in our community, as well as an interest in the arts.”

About 90 people attended the ceremony, where each winning student received a small cash prize and a gift.
On hand were some of the judges, all volunteers.

“We try to get people who have a background in education,” Nicholson said. “We’ve had librarians, retired teachers – they’re all volunteers.”

The winners will have their entries submitted to a state competition sponsored by the GFWC. For the past two years, The Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Women’s Club has sent contest winners on to the national competition.

Emma Doreen, a local winner from 2005, went on to compete against thousands of others in the national writing competition. The club presented her with a special certificate during the ceremony.

WOMEN’S CLUB AWARDS YOUNG WRITERS

By STEPHEN HAMMILL
shammill@mediagenreal.com

For 16 students, appreciation came with applause as parents, teachers and friends all gathered to recognize their literary contributions.

On Jan. 17, the Lutz Community Center hosted an awards reception for an annual writing contest for Pasco and Hillsborough county students.

The Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Women’s Club, which belongs to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), sponsored the event once again.

Students in grades one through 12 may enter one poem or one short story. Poems can be any style with a minimum length of eight lines and a maximum length of 30 lines. Short stories, on any topic, must be 2,000 words or less.

Seven-year old Jazmine Williams was invited to read her poem, “Why Worry About Tomorrow,” which won for poetry in grades one through three. Jazmine’s family was on hand to watch her receive the award.

“We were very surprised to find out she won,” said Magnolia Williams, Jazmine’s mother, “but we knew she could do it. She has a great teacher.”

Her teacher is Rosa Washington. Washington has taught second grade at Lowry Elementary in Town ‘N Country for five years, and has been a teacher in Hillsborough County for more than 30.

“In a way it’s not a surprise because she is such an exciting and enthusiastic student. She’s always going beyond,” said Washington.

Another Lowry second-grader, Amber Achnitz, won for her story “Homeless Are People Too,” which her dad said came from a real-life experience.

“The contest asked her to write about what she’s grateful for,” recalled William Achnitz. He takes food to the homeless regularly and recently brought his daughter along for the first time. When they got home, Amber went upstairs and wrote things out.

“I was surprised,” her dad said. “I read it the first time and cried.”

According to Amber’s teacher, Marlene Sacarello, “She was so excited to win, just thrilled. She’s always had a niche for writing.” When Sacarello first read Amber’s piece, she also cried, as did the some of the judges.

The two Lowry second-graders posed together for photos with their teachers after the event.

Nine-year-old Olivia Marshall is a fourth-grade student at Independent Day School-Corbett campus in Carrollwood. She won the story award for grades four though six with her piece “The Legend of the Black Candle.”

Her teachers, Kim Rostick and Maureen Birmingham, were there to see Olivia read her story. Rostick turned Olivia on to the contest originally.
Olivia recalled that when Ms. Rostick first heard about her win, “she started jumping up and down, screaming,” recalled Olivia.

The GFWC is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. The club has sponsored the writing contest for nearly 15 years now.

Women’s club president Barbara Nicholson said the club’s mission is “to encourage literacy and creativity in our community, as well as an interest in the arts.”

About 90 people attended the ceremony, where each winning student received a small cash prize and a gift.
On hand were some of the judges, all volunteers.

“We try to get people who have a background in education,” Nicholson said. “We’ve had librarians, retired teachers – they’re all volunteers.”

The winners will have their entries submitted to a state competition sponsored by the GFWC. For the past two years, The Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Women’s Club has sent contest winners on to the national competition.

Emma Doreen, a local winner from 2005, went on to compete against thousands of others in the national writing competition. The club presented her with a special certificate during the ceremony.

WOMEN’S CLUB AWARDS YOUNG WRITERS

By STEPHEN HAMMILL
shammill@mediagenreal.com

For 16 students, appreciation came with applause as parents, teachers and friends all gathered to recognize their literary contributions.

On Jan. 17, the Lutz Community Center hosted an awards reception for an annual writing contest for Pasco and Hillsborough county students.

The Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Women’s Club, which belongs to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), sponsored the event once again.

Students in grades one through 12 may enter one poem or one short story. Poems can be any style with a minimum length of eight lines and a maximum length of 30 lines. Short stories, on any topic, must be 2,000 words or less.

Seven-year old Jazmine Williams was invited to read her poem, “Why Worry About Tomorrow,” which won for poetry in grades one through three. Jazmine’s family was on hand to watch her receive the award.

“We were very surprised to find out she won,” said Magnolia Williams, Jazmine’s mother, “but we knew she could do it. She has a great teacher.”

Her teacher is Rosa Washington. Washington has taught second grade at Lowry Elementary in Town ‘N Country for five years, and has been a teacher in Hillsborough County for more than 30.

“In a way it’s not a surprise because she is such an exciting and enthusiastic student. She’s always going beyond,” said Washington.

Another Lowry second-grader, Amber Achnitz, won for her story “Homeless Are People Too,” which her dad said came from a real-life experience.

“The contest asked her to write about what she’s grateful for,” recalled William Achnitz. He takes food to the homeless regularly and recently brought his daughter along for the first time. When they got home, Amber went upstairs and wrote things out.

“I was surprised,” her dad said. “I read it the first time and cried.”

According to Amber’s teacher, Marlene Sacarello, “She was so excited to win, just thrilled. She’s always had a niche for writing.” When Sacarello first read Amber’s piece, she also cried, as did the some of the judges.

The two Lowry second-graders posed together for photos with their teachers after the event.

Nine-year-old Olivia Marshall is a fourth-grade student at Independent Day School-Corbett campus in Carrollwood. She won the story award for grades four though six with her piece “The Legend of the Black Candle.”

Her teachers, Kim Rostick and Maureen Birmingham, were there to see Olivia read her story. Rostick turned Olivia on to the contest originally.
Olivia recalled that when Ms. Rostick first heard about her win, “she started jumping up and down, screaming,” recalled Olivia.

The GFWC is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. The club has sponsored the writing contest for nearly 15 years now.

Women’s club president Barbara Nicholson said the club’s mission is “to encourage literacy and creativity in our community, as well as an interest in the arts.”

About 90 people attended the ceremony, where each winning student received a small cash prize and a gift.
On hand were some of the judges, all volunteers.

“We try to get people who have a background in education,” Nicholson said. “We’ve had librarians, retired teachers – they’re all volunteers.”

The winners will have their entries submitted to a state competition sponsored by the GFWC. For the past two years, The Lutz/Land O’ Lakes Women’s Club has sent contest winners on to the national competition.

Emma Doreen, a local winner from 2005, went on to compete against thousands of others in the national writing competition. The club presented her with a special certificate during the ceremony.