Year of Unity Writing Contest winners announced


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, Dec. 17, 2010
CONTACT: Mary Stadick Smith, (605) 773-7228, mary.stadicksmith@state.sd.us
 
Year of Unity Writing Contest winners announced
 
PIERRE, S.D. – Winners of the Year of Unity Writing Contest have been selected. The contest for 4th and 11th grade students was held as part of Gov. Mike Rounds’ declaration of 2010 as the Year of Unity in South Dakota.
 
The contest was hosted by the South Dakota Department of Education, with Prairie Edge Trading Company and Galleries in Rapid City providing the prizes.
 
Fourth grade winners are:
  • First place: Tasina Tobacco, Loneman School, Oglala
  • Second place: Haley Drapeaux, Wagner School District
  • Third place: Alexandria Sichmeller, Webster School District
 
Eleventh grade winners are:
  • First place: MacKenzie Stone, Wagner School District
  • Second place: Jordyn Jones, Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 
  • Third place: Shanbrah Dion, Andes Central School District
 
Students were asked to share a message of unity, with a special emphasis on Native and non-Native relationships, in their written works. A panel of judges scored the submissions based on the following criteria: ideas and content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.

Each winner will receive an iPod Touch and a savings bond ($500 for 1st place; $200 for 2nd place; $100 for 3rd place). The winners will be recognized during the Lakota Nation Invitational Friday, Dec. 17, in Rapid City.
 
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EDITOR’S NOTE: All winning entries can be accessed at http://www.doe.sd.gov/Yearofunity/index.asp. Media have permission to use any of the winning compositions for print, broadcast or publishing online.