This spring Lexington Family Magazine hosted its 6th Annual Writing Contest. We asked kids in grades K-5 from all over the Bluegrass to write an essay of 100 words or less on the theme “If I Could Go Anywhere...”
Apparently, this was a popular theme because over 560 kids sent us essays! We had 26 teachers from 16 schools who asked their whole class enter the contest. Plus we had individual entries from dozens of kids including homeschoolers from all over Kentucky!
Kids told us where they could go if they could go anywhere. Of course we had loads of entries from kids who wanted to go to Florida, Hawaii or any beach at all, but we also have plenty who wanted to go to outerspace, Mars or the moon. One boy wanted to visit Mars to see whether they spoke English or Spanish there. And, of course, since the contest ran during basketball season we had a number of kids who wanted to go to a UK basketball game. Many kids really put their imaginations to work and told us about imaginary places like Yoshi island, Candyland, Fairy Tale world or Monsterville. Some of the sweetest essays were from kids who wanted to go back in time to see their parents when they were little, and the ones who wanted to go to heaven to visit their grandparents.
You know it was very difficult to choose just a handful of winners but we just couldn’t come up with 500 prizes. After much consideration we were able to narrow the entries down to our favorite 6 Grand Prize winners and 12 Honorable Mentions. Our younger girls winners took home Lanie, the newest American Girl doll and our oldest girls winner won a collection of model horses from Breyerfest. Our boys winners won collections of games from Hasbro.
We will hold this contest again next year starting in January, so keep your eyes on www.lexingtonfamily.com for all the details.
In our Boys Kindergarten and 1st grade category our Grand Prize winner was Jackson Gonzales who won honorable mention last year as a kindergartener. He’s a 1st grader at Liberty Elementary.
If I could go anywhere, I’d shrink down and go into my backyard. I’d explore the burrows of earthworms and help create new soil for better plant life. I would also roll into a ball with roly-poly bugs and see if I could avoid being eaten by birds. I’d meet centipedes, slugs, and maybe snails. I’d ask the snail if I could go into his house and ask the bugs if I could help them eat wild weeds and help decay things away. If I could go anywhere, I’d go deep into the green grass of my very own backyard.
Our Honorable Mention awards go to Colin Gifford, a first grader at Sandersville Elementary.
If I could go anywhere I would go to Taffy Island. It has taffy trees. It has taffy volcanos. The taffy volcanos shoot out taffy. It is really fun. You can go swimming in taffy.
and Karson Caswell, a 1st grader at Stonewall
If I could go anywhere I would go back in time. I want to take Karver and Kargan to meet Nanny and Poppy. Karver and Kargan are my brothers. They were born after Nanny and Poppy went to heaven. I want them to taste Nanny’s pumpkin pie and cinnamon toast. I want them to hear Poppy’s funny stories. I want them to play games with Nanny. I want them to smell Poppy’s roses. I want them to see all the candy bowls that were never empty!! I want them to have memories of Nanny and Poppy not just stories.
In our Girls Kindergarten and 1st grade category our Grand Prize winner was
Katherin Kelly, a 1st grader at Northside Elementary in Midway.
If I could go anywhere I’d go to a fairy tail world. Because it is peaceful and pretty and I bet it is warm there to. I would take a walk and feel the breeze in my hare. I would tuch a butterfly on its wing and then it would fly away in the breeze and then I’d sit down.
Our Honorable Mention awards go to Cheyenne, a 1st grader from Deep Springs Elementary
If I could go anywhere I would go to the north pole because I want to see Santa. It would be good to see Santa because I want to go sled and drink the hot choclet. I want to ask for a present and a cookie. I want to visit Santa.
and Sarah Clark, a 1st grader at Stonewall.
I would like to go to Hawaii most of all because it is an island, and I like islands because there are beaches. I like to play in the sand and water at the beach. When I look out a high window from my hotel, I see the sun set and the sun reflects on the water. I like to see the palm trees because they are my favorite kind of tree. Also I would bring my cat, Mr. Kiki, to Hawaii because I can play with him and it would be like having my best friend. I would make a hole so deep in the sand that water would overflow it.
In our Boys 2nd and 3rd grade category our Grand Prize winner was Cam Gartland, a 3rd grader from Seton Catholic.
In 20 centuries, when I am 2008 years old, I would use an UFO to get to California.
Aliens would be behind the wheel. When we arrive, they would drop me and I would land on my left arm. I would then have to go to California Hospital to fix my broken arm.
The aliens would feel so badly about my broken arm, they would hook me up with an agent. I woulc become a movie star and be very famous. I would live in a mansion. I would cook dinner while my wife takes clients to ballgames. And when’s the last time she thanked me for my meatloaf?!!
Our Honorable Mention awards go to Parker Hodge, a 2nd grader at Millcreek. It should be noted that this is the 3rd year in a row that Parker has won a prize in our writing contest.
If I could go anywhere I would go to Transylvania – Not the school in Lexington, but the region in Romania. I would like to go there in the 1400s because I like SCARY Things. Transylvania is the home of vampires and haunted castles. Prince Vlad Tepes Dracula lived in Transylvania in the bran castle during the 1400s. He drank blood and was cruel to the people he ruled. I would investigate his castle and dungeon and see if Vlad was a real vampire. The last scary thing I would do would be to try the Romanian dish of tripe!
And Jason Reidhaar, a 2nd grader at Bluegrass Baptist School also won Honorable Mention.
Mars
If I could go anywhere, I would go to Mars to collect sand and see if I could stay on the ground. I would make sand sculptures. I would make sure Martians aren’t real. I would bring trees and make it a livable planet. I would bring gallons and gallons of water to water the plants. I would also bring a little mouse with me named Peanut. I would name my rocket the Delta. Then I would take some rocks and put them in a museum for people to look at. I think they’ll like it!
In our Girls 2nd and 3rd grade category our Grand Prize winner was Sarah Belin, a 2nd grader at the Lexington School. This is the 2nd year in a row that Sarah’s teacher, Mrs. Sadler, from the Lexington School has had a grand prize winner in her class.
I would like to go back in time and meet the Indians
If I could go back in time I would love to meet the Indians. I think it would be fun living in teepees. But if I could pick only one tribe I would pick the Navajo tribe. I would pick it because of their art work. I can just think of all the art work! I could bead, sand paint, make drums, make hogans and lots more things. I could also pick berries and nuits. Maybe I could help make dinner. I don’t think I would eat the dinner. Other than the fact that I keep kosher I don’t think I would like to eat buffalo! That’s why I would like to be with the Indians.
Our Honorable Mention awards go to Jayna Singleton, a 2nd grader from Redbud Christian Academy in Mt. Vernon.
If I Could Go Anywhere, I would go to the bottom of the ocean. How I would get there is where my story begins…I would drink a magic milkshake that would shrink me. Hopping onto a robin’s back I would fly through the sky, touch the clouds and talk with the butterflies. At night, I would curl up with birds and use her feathers for my blanket. During the night I wake up …..BIG again. A wild horse approaches and takes me to the beach where a spotted eagle ray is waiting for me. I hop on his back, and down we go.
Briana Thompson, a 2nd grader at Tates Creek, also won Honorable Mention.
If I could go anywhere, I would take a friend on a houseboat adventure. We would go swimming, and fishing in the quiet peaceful lake. We would have a picnic, eating the delicious fish, after removing their bumpy scales. We would make pink and white necklaces, and bracelets, with the sweet smelling flowers nearby. While playing tag, she pounces on me. We roll through the soft meadow laughing. The day ends with a beautiful sunset, full of crisp oranges, pinks, and purples. We are filled with a sense of calmness, instigating us to put on pajamas, and go to sleep.
In our Boys 4th and 5th grade category our Grand Prize winner is Matthew Myers, a 4th grader from Christ the King Elementary.
If I could go anywhere, I’d go to Yoshi Island.
Where vast waterfalls flow,
And where various trees grow.
Where Yoshis roam all around,
Eating fruits off the ground.
When you see Yoshi Island, you see neither despair nor dread.
But huge colorful pictures dance in your head.
At Yoshi Island it’s relaxing and warm.
The bees are peaceful and never swarm.
There are vines for swinging,
And no phones are ringing.
There are mountains all in a row,
And the sun above always glows.
Yoshi Island brings people much pleasure.
A visit there would be a great treasure!
Our Honorable Mention awards go to Brady Gipson, a 4th grader also at Christ the King Elementary.
Can you imagine a more fascinating place to visit than a continent which is an island and on the bottom half of my globe? If I could go anywhere it would be to Australia.
Imagine waking up to see large jumping animals with pouches or koalas with their long, hairy ears and sharp claws who eat eucalyptus leaves! Who wouldn’t want to travel to this island that has the Great Barrier Reef and the Outback?
Cut off from other continents, Australia is the most unusual place to visit and for me, the best choice of all!
And Nick Joseph, a 4th grader at Athens Chilesburg .
If I could go anywhere it would be Lebanon, my dad’s homeland. He has taught me a little of the national language, Arabic. I know how to speak some Arabic, but I’d like to learn more. I also want to go to Lebanon because of the Cedar tree. I’ve heard that the trees there are beautiful. My dad also told me that the food is good. There is food like Lentils and Rice, Hummus, and Stuffed Grape Leaves. My grandmother makes most of this food, so I’ve already gotten to try it. Lebanon sounds like a really cool place.
In our Girls 4th and 5th grade category our Grand Prize winner was Karlee Caswell, big sister of Karson, who won in our Boys K-1 category and she is a 5th grader at SCAPA.
If I could go anywhere, I would go back in time to the awesome days I spent with my Nanny at her house. Back to a time of snuggling with Nanny in her brown lift and dump chair, reading books, covered with the pink blanket she chrocheted because she didn’t know how to knit. Back to napping in Nanny’s remote control bed wearing sleepy hats and listening to boogie-woogie music. Back to swinging on the back porch, soaking our feet in a pail of water, singing songs and eating ice cream and vanilla wafers. Memories, my tunnels back in time.
Our Honorable Mention awards go to Myriah Robinson, a 4th grader at R.A.R. Homeschool in Richmond.
I would disappear into the pages of Nancy Drew on her journey for another crime-solving mystery! I have learned that Nancy is not a failure at solving mysteries thanks to her great clue-finding skills. Also, Nancy always has friends by her side to help her with every mystery she needs to solve. Her friends disagree often, but they put their differences aside to help bring justice.
I want to join in the excitement of Nancy’s sleuthing team. If I ever get stuck in a mystery, I know that I would have the best crime solver by my side!
and Hannah Gray, a 4th grader at Sandersville Elementary.
Oh No! What I’m stepping in! EWW…it was Gum drop Goo! Oh well because I must be in Candyland! I would love to visit Candyland so I could go the chocolate river and take a swim. Yummy! After I am done swimming, I would make a house out of chocolate gram crackers and gumdrops. Hopefully I don’t eat my own house though! After that I would make a bed out of chocolate chip cookie and a marshmallow as a pillow to rest up. Sweet Dreams straight from Candyland!