Lynchburg Winner Will Have Story Posted on Reading Rainbow Website

Harrisonburg, Va., July 31, 2009 – Nettie Jo Webb, a winner of WVPT Virginia’s Public Television’s 2009 Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest, has received national recognition. Webb, a rising fourth grader from Lynchburg, Va., will have her story titled I Love My Grandma, but She Can’t Remember posted on the PBS Reading Rainbow website.

Nettie Jo Webb attends TC Miller Elementary School in Lynchburg. I Love My Grandma, but She Can’t Remember is Webb’s first winning story in WVPT’s Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest. Webb’s story is that of a day she spends with her grandmother and shares insights into the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on both of their lives.

John Webb, Nettie Jo’s father, is very proud of his daughter, and says that the process has been invaluable for the entire family. “Nettie Jo’s wonderful story has helped the family heal and cope with the illness that has stricken her grandmother. It has helped us all in so many ways”

The 2009 National Winners were announced July 20, 2009. The recognized stories and winners from the 15th annual contest will be available for the general public to read online in August. Nationally, each year over 40,000 children enter the contest.

WVPT’s 2009 Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest winners were announced at a reception on April 30. Over 300 illustrated stories were submitted by children in grades Kindergarten through Third. Entries were sent from school districts across the WVPT viewing area including Winchester, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Monterey, among many others. Entries were also sent in from homeschooled children. The stories were then judged by over 20 educators, business leaders, librarians and members of the WVPT staff.

For more information on the Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrator’s contest, please visit http://pbskids.org/readingrainbow/contest/index.html.

For more information on WVPT Virginia’s Public Television, please visit www.wvpt.net or www.wvpt4learning.org

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