![Elin Creative Writing Winner]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1656443961/elmhurst205org/zxlysmr0yfqptzrvpkys/ElinCreativeWritingWinner.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1656443961/elmhurst205org/zxlysmr0yfqptzrvpkys/ElinCreativeWritingWinner.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1656443961/elmhurst205org/zxlysmr0yfqptzrvpkys/ElinCreativeWritingWinner.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1656443961/elmhurst205org/zxlysmr0yfqptzrvpkys/ElinCreativeWritingWinner.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1656443961/elmhurst205org/zxlysmr0yfqptzrvpkys/ElinCreativeWritingWinner.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1656443961/elmhurst205org/zxlysmr0yfqptzrvpkys/ElinCreativeWritingWinner.jpg","width":2200}])
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 fifth grade students from Field and Hawthorne elementary schools entered the Celebrate America Fifth Grade Creative Writing Contest. As they have done in recent years, the D205 students placed in first, second and third place locally and fifth grade student, Elin Seiler (Field) also went on to win the national competition.
Each year the national competition winner, and their family have the opportunity to travel to New York City to present their work in person at the American Immigration Council's annual fundraiser. But this year, Elin was invited to take her poetry to an even bigger audience - a national one. On Wednesday June 29, 2022 at noon, Elin will be appearing on Good Morning America where they will be featuring her in a segment about the contest and interviewing her about her poem.
Competing with others from around the Country, the contest asks students to submit a written piece on the theme "Why I Am Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants'' or “What Does It Mean to be a Welcoming Nation?” The entries were judged on the basis of theme, presentation, creativity, and message. Field and Hawthorne students won the top 3 prizes for the Chicagoland Council: Elin Seiler (Field) won first place, Brenner Harges (Hawthorne) won second place and Rowan Hoppe (Hawthorne) won third place. This is the second year in a row that the Chicago Chapter and D205 students have won first, second, and third place locally and placed nationally in this contest
“I am so proud to see the Elmhurst District 205 students recognized for their hard work. It has been such a wonderful experience for each of them and they could not have selected a more amazing student than Elin as the winner of the National contest,” said Field Elementary School Principal Heidi Thomas. “Elin demonstrates kindness, and enthusiasm in all that she does and that was truly evident in her writing.”
Every year the contest aims to inspire fifth graders throughout the United States to reflect on and write. For over two decades, the contest has touched tens of thousands of students, teachers, and administrators with powerful stories — many of which are born directly out of students’ deeply personal experiences. The contest has inspired over 100,000 fifth graders to share their stories through poetry, prose, and essays.
Below are photos of Elin as she heads to New York. The winning entries can be found HERE.
- Field