Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 6, 1994 TAG: 9406090031
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: NF-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By ELIZABETH HOCK NEWSFUN EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Our proudest moment is the medicine that helps us feel better after a bad day at school. It makes us feel smart, like those kids who say making the A/B Honor Roll made their day; or it can make us feel important, like the kids who scored the winning soccer goal or made the basketball team, and everybody thought they were special.
A proud moment can also come quietly, when nobody knows about it but you. For one kid, it was backing away from a fight; for another, carrying someone's lunch tray.
Whatever your proudest moment, if you were one of the 600 or so authors who entered NewsFun's annual writing contest, you can add another to your list. Just knowing you participated should make you proud.
Participants were asked to write about their proudest moment in 200 words or less. Entries were judged by several writers and editors at the Roanoke Times & World-News.
The winner in the sixth-eighth grade division is Justin Ingram, a sixth-grader at Cave Spring Junior High School in Roanoke County. His teacher is Karen Campbell.
Tara Garland, a fourth-grader at Oak Grove Elementary School in Roanoke County, is the winner in the third-fifth grade division. Diane Grant is Tara's teacher.
The winner in the kindergarten-second grade division is Jamie Russ. Jamie, who is taught by Janet Duncan, is a second-grader at Forest Park New American School in Roanoke.
Nisha Nagarkatti, a sixth-grader at Blacksburg Middle School, received a special judge's award for her entry. She was honored for her insight and observations, in addition to her writing skills.
Winning authors will receive a Roanoke Times & World-News comics umbrella, and their teachers will get a thermal mug.
Participants receiving honorable mention in the sixth-eighth grade category are: William Chriscoe, seventh grade, Shawsville Middle School; Julene A. Hyalt, seventh grade, Shawsville Middle School; Rachel Davis , seventh grade, Floyd Elementary School; Jessica Ann Smith, seventh grade, Shawsville Middle School; Tommy Compton, sixth grade, Cave Spring Junior High School; and Amy Kay Helms, seventh grade, Wiliam Byrd Middle School, Vinton.
Honorable mention in the third-fifth grade division goes to: P.J. Coleman, fifth grade; South Salem Elementary School; Amanda Lynn McKinney, fourth grade, Fairview Magnet School, Roanoke; Uyen Le, fifth grade, Fallon Park Elementary School, Roanoke; Tiffany Jayne, fourth grade, Oak Grove Elementary; Stacy Richardson, fifth grade, Burnt Chimney Elementary, Hardy; Beth Bowman, fifth grade, Burnt Chimney Elementary; Lauren Hayes, Oak Grove Elementary; Kevin Moses, fourth grade, Roland E. Cook Elementary, Vinton; and Matt King, fourth grade, Roland E. Cook.
Pupils receiving honorable mention in the kindergarten-second grade category are: Caleb Guard, second grade, West Salem Elementary; Austin Tuell, second grade, Troutville Elementary; Seth Levey, second grade, Huddleston Elementary; Lesley Baugess, second grade, Troutville Elementary; Katy Campbell, second grade, Mountain View Elementary; Roanoke County; Shannon Tomkinson, second grade, Huddleston Elementary; Kody Terry, second grade, Grace Academy, Roanoke; Kierra Webb, second grade, Forest Park New American School; T.J. Smith, second grade, Troutville Elementary; and Shenna Darlena Rainwater, second grade, Fallon Park Elementary.
Here are the winning stories in each division:
Sixth-eighth grade
No. No. I will never try it. Can't. Never have. Never will. Who cares if everyone is riding bikes? I'll get a car.
The next day I slowly unlatched the garage door and pulled out my BMX (with training wheels). I looked at the gigantic, beast-like bicycle, and decided this was the time. It looked like a flaming-red, huge dragon that was going to take off like a steam engine.
I walked into the house and got my gloves and helmet and strolled as slowly as possible to waste as much time as I could.
When I got back to the monster, I heaved myself onto the black leather seat. At first I wobbled a bit, but I got my balance soon after.
Then the most beautiful and magnificent thing happened. I lowered my tiny feet and they finally touched the pedals as I pushed on them. Slowly the bike's wheels turned a half circle, then a full. Soon I was going gracefully. Every so often the steering wheel would jerk to one side, but I got control.
I felt as though I had climbed and conquered a mountain. I was proud.
- JUSTIN INGRAM
Third-fifth grade
My proudest moment was when I was adopted in Korea by a woman named Kaye Ella Craighead.
I was on an airplane that flew to Washington, D.C. I was only 3 months old.
As I grew up, I become closer and closer to my new mom every day. We do not look the same, but we act a lot alike. We laugh and cry about the same things. We love each other a lot.
As I grew up and got stronger, I began to make lots of new friends. When I first went to school I was very shy. I began to feel happier when I made new friends.
When I went to Washington I was so excited because I had just become a new citizen. Mom and I were happy together. We had lots of pets. We both did lots of things together. I took care of mother when she was ill. We laughed almost every day.
I learned a lot of things at school. I was always happy when I was alone with my friends.
Then I met my whole family. I lived with mom happily together.
- TARA GARLAND
Kindergarten-second grade
Let me tell you about the proudest moment of my life. When it was almost Mother's Day, I thought that I could not sew up my flower picture for my mom. So I asked her for some yarn. She gave it to me.
I ran upstairs and began to sew up my Mother's Day flower. The reason I didn't get to sew it up in art class is because I had to stay in the class with my teacher.
Girl, I had to work hard on that flower. When Mother's Day came I was proud. I gave my flower to my mom. She was so surprised. She gave me a kiss and a hug. She said, "You done good." I gave her a hug. That was the best Mother's Day in my life.
- JAMIE RUSS
by CNB