GRANTS - An award ceremony was held at New Mexico State University-Grants on April 30 for students who won the Malpais Creative Writing Contest.

From the 135 entries by students in grades one through 12, 70 winning poems and prose compositions were chosen.

Students who participated were from 12 schools: Bluewater Elementary, Mesa View Elementary, Milan Elementary, Mount Taylor Elementary, San Rafael Elementary and Laguna-Acoma Junior/Senior High Schools. The students were assisted by their teachers, 23 from all participating schools.

Most of the winners were not only proud of the recognition, but also seemed stunned. They left the auditorium quickly after receiving their awards to snack on cookies in the entryway of the university.

Roberto Sandoval, fifth grader at Mesa View Elementary, wrote a brief history about Egypt. He said that he wasn't expecting to win, but that now he plans to write more in his classes.

Amanda Clawson, fourth grade student at Bluewater Elementary, wrote a poem she titled “Valentine's Day” about two holidays.

Her mother was not as surprised about the win as her daughter was. “She's very artistic,” said Clawson's mother.

Trevor Ruff, Milan Elementary School second grader, is surrounded by literacy at home.

“He's really good at making stories up,” said Ruff's father, who studied to be a teacher. Ruff's mother and three brothers also like to tell stories and write, according to the elder Ruff.

The winning poems and prose were published in a book and presented to each winner along with a medal and a certificate.

The contest was sponsored by the International Reading Association Malpais Council under the leadership of council President, BJ Johnson, to promote creative writing and literacy at the community level. Dr. Joan Erben from the Humanities Department at NMSU-Grants was this year's judge of all the entries.

“I have been judging the contest for probably about seven years,” Erben stated. “There used to be quite a few more entries, I don't know why this has changed.”

Erben continued to say that the writing contest gives students the opportunity for their writing to go beyond the teacher's desk, giving it “real world” context.

“It helps them connect their ideas with the larger world,” Erben said.

The 2009 contest committee members worked hard to organize the event. Ginny Hill, Vicki Meech, Lynette Schmitt, Laura Wilson and Jane Williams contributed their skills by sending out the invitation to participate to the schools, collecting the entries and preparing and delivering them to Erben. The committee also ordered the awards and published the book of winners.