Letters About Literature is a national program that encourages strong analytic reading skills and the ability to express oneself clearly through writing, both of which are foundational for success in higher education, as well as career potential. 

2010 Letters About Literature

Three North Dakota students out of over 600 particpants received Top Honors in the 2010 Letters About Literature Essay Contest. Mayim Stith a sixth grader at West Fargo STEM Middle School received top honors in her Level 1 category of 4-6 grade students. Jordyn Jossart a seventh grader at Horizon Middle School received Top Honors in the Level II category of 7-8 grade students. Alysa Lerud a Junior at Fargo North High School received Top Honors in the level III category of 9-12 grade students. Top Honors students received a $50 Target gift certificate, $50 Barnes and Noble gift certificate, a book and reward certificate.
Approximately 69,000 young readers across the country and over 600 North Dakota students participated in this year’s Letters About Literature competition, with 88 North Dakota students receiving recognition and awards for their winning essays. Letters About Literature is a reading promotion program of the North Dakota Humanities Council’s Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target.

To enter, young readers write a personal letter to an author explaining how his or her work changed their view of the world or themselves. Readers can select authors from any genre—fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Many teachers incorporate the program into their class and curriculum while other students enter individually. The program has three competition levels: upper elementary, middle school, and secondary. The contest theme encourages young readers to explore his or her personal response to a book then express that response in a creative, original way. For more information visit www.ndhumanities.org .

2009 Letters About Literature

BISMARCK STUDENT GETS SURPRISED WITH NATIONAL WRITING AWARD