here are the kids' newspaper contest entries...
Rules were 200 words max, and based on an actual classified in the paper.
"My Red Quad"
by Davy, age 5-1/2, Kindergarten, dictated to Mom (technically ineligible for the contest so he's biding his time until first grade); based on a classified of a red quad for sale
I wanted a quad [all-terrain vehicle] for Christmas, a big red one. I wrote to Santa but I didn’t get one. I didn’t get one for my birthday either.
And then I saved up all my money to buy one for myself. I found money on the sidewalk and sometimes there were pennies on the floor in the supermarket. Nana gave me a toonie [Canadian two-dollar coin] because she loves me. I picked bottles for Dad. I won prize money at the Fair for my crafts. It took me a long time to save up lots of money, five years. Then I was 10 years old.
I saw an ad in the paper for a red quad, just like the one I always wanted. I bought it. Then I bought a helmet. Now I go for rides all the time. I am very happy. My quad goes fast.
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“My Own Cattle”
by Daniel, age 6-3/4, Grade 1 (first prize in the Grade 1 section); based on a classified of bulls for sale (in real life the father of Daniel's friend)
Last year when I was 12 years old, I decided that I wanted to have my own cattle. I got the idea from 4H, which I started when I was 9, and also from our family’s farm. We have cattle and grow grain but I wanted my own animals.
I had seven cows and their calves but needed a bull. To get the money to buy him, I helped my dad with carpentry projects and he paid me. I saw that my friend’s dad had an ad in the paper for bulls, so I phoned and talked to his dad.
The next day, my dad and I took the truck and trailer to their place. I looked at all of the Angus bulls and with my dad’s help I think I picked a good one.
We took him back to our farm and put him in with the cows. I’ll find out next year if I chose the right bull.
The End.
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“Curious about Our Town in 1906?”
by Laura, age 8-1/2, Grade Three (first prize in the Grades 2/3 section); based on a classified advertising a local history book about pioneer times
I was sitting in the nursing home reading the newspaper when I saw an ad for the history book about my town. I smiled and thought, I don’t need a book. I remember when I was a girl in 1906.
I was born in 1898 in Manitoba after my family came from the Ukraine. My big brother, two sisters, and I all helped Papa build our new log house on our homestead. While it was being built we lived in a sod house. It was very dark and it got very wet when it rained. We were all glad for the new house, especially Mama.
I remember one summer day when we were feeding the chickens and gathering the eggs. My brother saw a vixen behind the henhouse while the chickens were scratching around outside. She suddenly grabbed Mama’s best layer by the neck and ran away. We ran in the house to tell
Mama and Papa, and we were all sad because we would miss the hen’s nice fresh eggs. But Papa said, “You know, the fox had to do it because she has lots of hungry mouths to feed too. So don’t be too mad at her for doing what she was made to do.”
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