Author Archive

Library Celebrates 9 Years of the Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest

Setauket, NY – April 25, 2023 –

A creative writing and drawing contest that started back in 2014 is still going strong in 2023. Each year, those in grades 7 – 12 who reside in the Three Village Central School District, get their imaginations flowing and create an original picture book for children, in hopes of winning this esteemed prize. Emma Clark Library board members & staff, the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, local elected officials, representatives from the Three Village Central School District and The Stony Brook School, and guests from the community gathered to honor the winners of the ninth annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award:

First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Boston Santa by Julia Hou (9^th grader at Gelinas Junior High School)

First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Sleeping Till Spring by Celia Gordon (Homeschooled 11^th grader)

Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Cutie the Duck by Caroline Qian (8^th grader at Gelinas Junior High School)

Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Lily’s Snowman by Amelia Grant (12^th grader at The Stony Brook School)

Library Director Ted Gutmann, along with the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, presented all of the winners’ books – bound and added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection – along with $400 checks to first prize winners Julia Hou (9th grader at R.C. Murphy Junior High School) and Celia Gordon (11th grader who is homeschooled) and $100 checks for second prize winners Caroline Qian (8th grader at P.J. Gelinas Junior High School) and Amelia Grant (12th grader at The Stony Brook School).  Legislator Kara Hahn, Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Town Clerk Kevin LaValle (representing Supervisor Edward Romaine), and staff members from Senator Anthony Palumbo and Assemblyman Ed Flood’s office were all in attendance to present certificates to the winners from New York State, Suffolk County, and Brookhaven Town, respectively.

In speaking to the winners, Legislator Hahn remarked, “You clearly have talent and that’s what storytelling is…it’s sharing what’s in your heart for others to enjoy and learn from.”

Town Clerk LaValle commented, “It’s amazing what you did. You should be so proud of yourselves.”

Councilmember Kornreich told all of the authors what he enjoyed the most about each book and added, “Art is a powerful language…I’m sure all of you will one day have the power to change people’s hearts and change people’s minds and to change the world.”

Library Board President Christopher Fletcher, Vice President Carol Leister, Treasurer David Douglas, and trustee Deborah Blair were there to congratulate the winners.  Three Village Central School District Trustee Jennifer Solomon, Superintendent Kevin Scanlon, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Brian Biscari, Gelinas Junior High School Principal Corinne Keane, and Gelinas Junior High English Chair Michelle Hanczor were all in attendance, in addition to the Assistant Head of School at The Stony Brook School, Will Lingle.

Guests enjoyed special treats donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop, a local Three Village-owned business.  Library teen volunteer Jack Dennehy photographed the event.

The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest called for teens in grades 7 through 12 who live in the Three Village Central School District to create a children’s picture book.  Each entry could be the work of a single author/illustrator or a collaborative effort between an author and an illustrator.  The contest was divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one First Prize Winner and one Second Prize Winner selected from each group.

The Library is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack, who cover the cost of the awards as a tribute to their mother and her commitment to passing along the importance and joy of reading for generations to come. Library Director Ted Gutmann mentioned, “We appreciate the support of all the family [of Helen Stein Shack] for their generosity in establishing this endowment and for their encouragement of literacy in our community.”

In light of the fact that all of the winners were female this year, Sherry Cleary, one of the daughters of the late Helen Stein Shack, told about her mother, not just a mom, grandmother, or teacher, but as a woman:

She was an amazing woman when being an amazing woman was not encouraged and not acknowledged and not thing…she came up in an era where women had a lack of opportunities…She was brave, gutsy and really looked convention in the eye, in the face, and decided to do what was in her heart and in her soul…I leave you with that. Be brave. Be gutsy. You already are because you put yourselves out there and did this amazing work.

The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and on the web at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.

“The Heart of the Three Village Community”

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9th Annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award Winners Announced

Setauket, NY – March 9, 2023 –

Emma Clark Library is thrilled to reveal the winners of the Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award, an annual contest for junior high and high school students residing in the Three Village Central School District:

First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Boston Santa by Julia Hou (9^th grader at Gelinas Junior High School)

First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Sleeping Till Spring by Celia Gordon (Homeschooled 11^th grader)

Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Cutie the Duck by Caroline Qian (8^th grader at Gelinas Junior High School)

Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Lily’s Snowman by Amelia Grant (12^th grader at The Stony Brook School)

Cutie the Duck by Caroline Qian has brightly colored graphics and is a light-hearted and fun tale about 2 duck friends and their adventures over the course of a day. Boston Santa by Julia Hou tells the story of a beautifully illustrated bunny whose dad finds a job in Boston. What will Christmas be like without dad? Will he make it home in time to celebrate the holiday with his family? Sleeping Till Spring by Celia Gordon follows Rosie, a girl who is tired of the winter. She imagines herself as many animals that hibernate until spring.  Lily’s Snowman by Amelia Grant is about a girl who lives in Llano Verde, where the sun is always shining. The girl dreams about snow in this bilingual book.

Contest winners will be celebrated at a private awards ceremony on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 7:00 p.m.  Each First Prize award recipient will receive a $400 scholarship, and each Second Prize award recipient will receive a $100 scholarship. For those that are a collaborative effort, the prize money will be split between the author and the illustrator.  The newly bound books – made into hardcover by the Library – will have the honor of being added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection, and winners will also receive copies of their books to cherish in their own home libraries. Light refreshments will be served at the reception, and desserts are being generously donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop, a local Three Village business.

Past ceremonies have had Library trustees, teachers and top school district administrators, as well as elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and the Town of Brookhaven, all in attendance to honor the winners. Emma Clark Library is delighted to once again hold a special ceremony honoring these talented young authors and illustrators and to add their original books to the Library’s collection of local authors.

The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest called for teens in grades 7 through 12 who live in the Three Village Central School District to create a children’s picture book.  Each entry could be the work of a single author/illustrator or a collaborative effort of an author and an illustrator.  The contest was divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one First Prize Winner and one Second Prize Winner selected from each group.

This award is given in memory of Helen Stein Shack by her family.  As a teacher, Mrs. Shack was committed to the education of children, and she especially loved literature written for them.  She was a frequent visitor to Emma Clark Library where, even in retirement, she kept current with the latest children’s books.  The Library is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack who have established a substantial endowment with the Library to cover the cost of the prizes.

The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.

“The Heart of the Three Village Community”

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8th Annual Kids Bookmark Contest Hosted By Emma Clark Library

Setauket, NY – February 1, 2023 –

Emma Clark Library’s beloved annual Kids Bookmark Contest commences this month. Now in its 8^th year, the Library asks children living in the Three Village Central School District from Kindergarten through 6^th grade, to design original bookmarks for library patrons.

Winners receive the incredible honor of having their bookmarks professionally printed. Community members may then take home a copy of one or more of the winning bookmarks! Last year’s contest brought a record-breaking number of entries to the Children’s Department, and the Library staff was thrilled to see such enthusiasm.

To pick up an Official Entry Form and Bookmark Template, kids may stop by the Children’s Reference Desk or download the form at kids.emmaclark.org starting February 14.  There is a limit of 1 entry per child. The entry deadline is March 31, 2023.  Winners will be chosen in three categories (K – 2, 3^rd & 4^th, and 5^th & 6^th grades) and announced on Monday, May 1, 2023, to kick off Children’s Book Week. All contestants’ entries are displayed in the Children’s Department for visitors to view.

Last year’s winners were Audrey Brazier (Nassakeag Elementary) in the grades K – 2 category; Aarush Simhadri (Mount Elementary) in the grades 3 & 4 category; and Brianna Kim (Nassakeag Elementary) in the grades 5 & 6 category.

If you have any questions about the Kids Bookmark Contest, please email marcela@emmaclark.org or call 631.941.4080 ext. 123.

Please note: With all Emma Clark Library contests, Emma Clark employees, trustees, and members of their household are not eligible to enter.

The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and on the web at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District. “The Heart of the Three Village Community”

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