• The KNEA News Room
• Calendar of Events
• KNEA on the Issues
• News Archive
• Read Across America

Andover 5th grader wins KNEA poster contest

Rachel Schwartzbeck's poster is the official 2008 Read Across America poster for Kansas

Rachel Schwartzbeck, a fifth grader at Meadowlark Elementary in Andover, is the winner of the KNEA Read Across America poster contest. Her entry, "Just Read," took top honors from nearly 316 entries from 33 communities.

Rachel Schwartzbeck, a fifth-grader at Meadowlark Elementary School in Andover is the winner of the KNEA Read Across America Poster Contest. Her parents are Ellen and John Schwartzbeck of Andover. Her reading teacher is Kim Hague and her art teacher is Ginger Steck.

The poster contest required the artwork and a written explanation of the elements used in the poster plus why the poster promotes reading. 

"I chose the little pom-pom people to show that reading is exciting just like cheerleaders make the game more exciting.  I used the hearts in the fox's eyes to show that he loved to read and he had fun reading. I also used the Algebra book to who that reading is educational. I used the map and the sign to show that reading is more than books. I used the adult books and children books to show that young and old should read. I used the phone book to show that you can be reading, when you don't realize it. I chose the characters from the Dr. Seuss book because those are my favorite characters. I chose to put the sunset in because it was the end of a fun day reading. I chose the road because it's 'Read Across America.'

I think the poster shows the importance of reading to be able to travel both imaginary and real. When you are going on a trip you have to be able to read a map or sing on the road. If you didn't know how to read the signs, then you'd get lost and you don't want that to happen. Reading can also take you places like Hogwarts, New York City or to a school.  Reading is important because you have to use it every day."

There were 316 entries from 33 school districts or communities. Other winners by category are:

• K-2: Morgan Cassidy - "Read with Me" - 2nd Grade, Highland Elementary School, Columbus KS
• Grades 3-4: Dakota Huff - "Read Across Kansas" - 3rd Grade, Irving Elementary School, Winfield, KS
• Grades 5-6: Kent Willmeth - "Read Across Kansas - Emerald City of Bust!" - 6th Grade, Nemaha Valley Jr. High, Seneca, KS
• Grades 7-8: Lia Werner - "Oh, the places you'll go…" - 7th grade, Oxford Middle School, Blue Valley Public Schools
• Grades 9 - 12: Kaitlin Roberts - "Oh the places you'll go…" - Sophomore, Parsons High School, Parsons, KS

Find their posters, a copy of their comments and their photos below.

Rachel's artwork is the official KNEA poster for 2008. Rachel, her family and teachers will came to Topeka to watch her artwork be printed into a poster at Mainline Printing .

The winners' artwork in all categories have been made into postcards. The posters and notecards are available through KNEA. Contact Mike  for postcards and posters. Postcards are $1 per pack. Each pack contains 5 copies each of the six winning posters (30 postcards total).

Partners helping to promote and judge the poster contest include Target, the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC), the Kansas PTA, United Way of Greater Topeka, The State Library of Kansas, Mainline Printing,  Cox Communications and KEN, Kansas Education Network and the Kansas Press Association's Newspapers in Education (NIE).

NEA launched the Read Across America program in 1997 to celebrate the March 2 birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss. "Dr. Seuss, or Ted Geisel, epitomizes a love of learning," said KNEA President Blake West. "Dr. Seuss's use of rhyme makes his books an effective tool for teaching young children the basic skills they need to be successful."

"Who else but teachers would sponsor a poster contest that includes a writing component," he added. "We believe all children can learn. We suggest events that are separated by grade level so that students of all ages will have the opportunity to enjoy building skills and imagination through pre-writing, writing, editing, illustrating, reading, publishing and advertising activities.

KNEA's Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around Dr. Seuss's birthday.

In 2008 Read Across America will be celebrated on Monday, March 3. Find resources for literacy at www.nea.org/readacross.

Winners by Category

Morgan Cassidy - 2nd Grade - Highland Elementary School - Columbus KS
"Read with Me"

"I think people will want to see where books can take them. I tried to use funky words like Dr. Seuss does to get people's attention.

"You have to so many more opportunities in life if you can read well, and if you can read well  you will want to read more often.  My poster makes reading seem exciting and encourages everyone to read.  To get the most out of a book you must really read it and not just look at the pictures."

Grades 3-4
Dakota Huff - 3rd Grade - Irving Elementary School - Winfield, KS
"Read Across Kansas"

"People will read more because they all like The Cat in the Hat and it is colorful. My poster will help people read because they see the important words."

Grades 5-6

Kent Willmeth - 6th Grade - Nemaha Valley Jr. High - Seneca, KS
"Read Across Kansas - Emerald City or Bust!"

"I chose the Wizard of Oz because it goes with Kansas. I used the Scarecrow because he didn't have a brain and couldn't read.  The poster shows him trying to read the signs because he wants to get to Emerald City and he doesn't know which way to go because he can't read. People will want to read more after seeing my poster because you have to be able to read to get around.

"The Scarecrow in the poster is lost in the Land of Oz. Reading can help people find their way. People can read for pleasure, but it also helps solves problems."

Grades 7-8
Lia Werner - 7th grade - Oxford Middle School - Blue Valley Public Schools
"Oh, the places you'll go…"

"I think people will want to read more after seeing my poser because they will see that reading can be fun and when you read books, you go places in life!

"I think my poster helps people understand the importance of being able to read because the title of my poster is "Oh, the places you'll go" and I hope that when people read that they will think that reading is important and if they read they will go places in their life. Reading helps me in so many ways and I hope my poster makes other people realize how important it is."

Grades 9 - 12+
Kaitlin Roberts  - sophomore - Parsons High School - Parsons, KS
"Oh the places you'll go…"

"I think that people will want to read more after seeing my poster because it's not just showing how to read a simple book but that reading involves much more. My poster shows a "How to Cook" book, music, a children's book, that reading can lead to success in many areas. After seeing my poster people should think about all of the various forms of reading and all the ways reading effects their life.

"A person can have fun reading. It can take you "to here" or "to there". A person can learn their ABC's, to cook, play music, find places with a map and a lot more things.  Reading is exciting and enjoyable for me and I hope for other people after they see my poster, feel the same way."

KNEA News Room Archives
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002
For more information about KNEA and our work, contact the KNEA Communications Department.