Fairfield Students and Their Winning Essays

Eight sixth-graders in Fairfield received awards last weekend for their essays on "Important Women in Connecticut's History and How Their Contributions to the State and Nation Affect Me."

The essay contest, initiated by state Rep. Brenda Kupchick, R-Fairfield for Women's History Month in March, awarded a $100 savings bond to first-place winners and a $50 savings bond to runner-ups. The savings bonds were donated by Fairfield County Savings Bank. Winners were announced last Saturday during a ceremony at Pequot Library in Fairfield's Southport neighborhood.

Essays were judged by each school's administration on form, style, research, grammar and insight.

Kupchick said Tuesday that about 75 students from the town's three middle schools and St. Thomas Aquinas School submitted essays. "The kids came up to me afterward and said they had fun researching the women and learned so much. They learned about women they never knew about," she said.

Fairfield Patch will publish an award-winning essay from Tuesday through May 10. The first essay, which appears below, was written by Roger Ludlowe Middle School sixth-grader Emma Kolakowski and was entitled "A Special Author." It received first place at Ludlowe.

"To me, Patricia Reilly Giff is a really inspiring author. She writes young adult books that touch people's hearts and has won many amazing awards for her writing. When I grow up, I want to be an author just like her.

Many people know Patricia Reilly Giff as just an author, but others see her as the key to open emotions from inside you through her heartfelt books. The picture she paints in your head as you laugh, cry and even relate to the sad situations can change your perspective a lot. One book I specifically love is 'Pictures of Hollis Woods' because the way she writes from a young girl's perspective seems so natural. It always paints a picture in my head like walking through the woods after a spring shower. It always keeps me captivated in the story and I wish it didn't have to end. Another book from Patricia that I liked was 'Lily's Crossing.' It practically had me lost in the story from all the excitement of Lily trying to save a cat and even had calm moments where she was just thinking about the war and the Nazis. The sensations of sadness grow like vines, entwining and wrapping around your mind, keeping you excited all day knowing you can come home and jump into your second world as if nothing else exists. Patricia's books can make me cry but I always come back for more because she's that special author that makes you want to read all the time. She can take the simple moments of life and bring them to paper and make them the only thing you want to come home and curl up to.

Patricia's books have won many awards. 'Nory Ryan's Song,' 'Lily's Crossing' and 'Pictures of Hollis Woods' have all been awarded the Newberry Book Award. It's a great honor to win Newberry Book Awards because lots of people have to agree and vote on many different books so you are a great author if your book wins. Her book 'Lily's Crossing' has also won a Boston Globe - Horn Book Honor Book Award. Another award 'Nory Ryan's Song' won was the ALA Best Book for Young Adults Award. Not only that, but the book also won an ALA Notable Book Award as well. Later in 2005, Patricia published the sequel to her double award winning book 'Lily's Crossing' and it was called 'Willow Run.' Patricia's books have been recognized and adored by many prestigious book awarding organizations. Her books continue to please young readers like me.

Patricia inspires me a lot. I think it's really great how she has won so many awards and become many young readers's favorite author, including me. Since she is from Connecticut, she makes me believe that I can become a successful author just like her. I think Patricia and I share the same passion for writing because of a quote from her I read: '(Writing) is like breathing to me.' I breathe through my writing just like her. If I feel sad or overwhelmed, I'll write it down. I can get so wrapped up in writing that I forget everything that's happening and disappear in my own world. She claims she has 'no special talent' but she is my inspiration anyway. She has everything I want to have when I grow up: a family, a career as an author, and a (now retired) job as a teacher. I hope to make writing and reading a part of my career by being a Language Arts teacher and I especially want to be an author just like Patricia. She has shown me that with feelings and heartfelt experiences, you can write a book. Patricia has influenced me by writing books that are nice and slow that don't need big events to show how the character feels. It's her success and beautifully written books that inspire me to become an author and express my feelings through books for others who feel the same."