Whiz Kid: Jack Boydell Takes First in State Essay Contest

Every California fourth grade student takes a turn studying California history. To encourage the youngsters to improve their writing skills, the Native Sons of the Golden West sponsor an essay contest, geared towards fourth grade students.

First place winner Jack Boydell had a personal connection with this year’s contest: his great great grandfather, Mortimer DeWitt, who lived in San Francisco at the time of the 1906 earthquake and set up grocery stands all over the city in the days after the earthquake. In the wake of the quake fires and fallen buildings made it impossible to get groceries, wrote Boydell, so his relative brought the grocery store to them.

The story became the stuff of family legends; Boydell grew up hearing about his industrious ancestor.

"Acts of kindness were what helped the city survive the weeks following the earthquakes and fires, wrote Boydell in his essay,  titled “A Little Known Act of Kindness."

In the contest, students select a topic - Boydell chose two write a 250-word historical tale - and compete at both a district and state level. As the first place winner, Boydell's essay will be published in the Native Sons newspaper and displayed for a year in their Columbia State Park museum (just outside of Sonoma.)

In addition, Boydell was awarded a plaque, a $100 savings bond and $100 for his classroom.

Mom Kelly Boydell couldn’t be more thrilled and proud of her son, especially with his creative writing skills.  “Math has always been more his interest but (his teacher) Mrs. McClure has worked so much this whole year with all the students on their writing that he wanted to tell this story," she said.

Way to go Jack! Maybe we have a future Sonoma Patch writer...