The Heart of the Three Village Community
Posts Tagged ‘helen stein shack’
Winners Announced for the 10 Year Anniversary of the Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest
Setauket, NY – March 7, 2024 –
It’s been a decade of delightful talent and creativity! Emma Clark Library and the family of the late Helen Stein Shack have been showcasing junior high and high school students in our Three Village community since 2015 through an annual contest. The Library has recently revealed the winners of the 10th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Danny’s Birthday by Elizabeth Wright (9th grader at Gelinas Junior High School)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Billy the Unusual Giraffe by Julia Hou (10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Our Trip to Estonia by Juni Een (Homeschooled 8th grader)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Sleepless Saturday by Claire Sloniewsky and Justine Bushman (both 11th graders at Ward Melville High School)
Each of the winning entries has their own unique artwork and storylines geared towards young children. Danny’s Birthday by Elizabeth Wright is a charming story with bright watercolor and pen drawings of a dog named Danny and all of his friends. Billy the Unusual Giraffe by Julia Hou uses a positive reframing technique, told in a simple manner for children. A giraffe discouraged by his short neck soon realizes all the things he can do with it, rather than its limitations. Our Trip to Estonia by Juni Een teaches children about another country & culture through watercolor and pen illustrations and easy text for children. A collaborative book, Sleepless Saturday by Claire Sloniewsky and Justine Bushman, has delicate drawings and tells the tale of two cats looking for the sun, which has gone missing! Will they find it?
Contest winners will be celebrated at a private awards ceremony on Monday, April 8, 2024, 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, generously donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop and Level Up Kitchen Library Café. Past ceremonies have had Library Board members, teachers and top school district administrators from Three Village, 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 thrilled to celebrate this beloved milestone for the community.
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”
###
Annual Library Contest Showcasing Creative Junior High and High School Students in Three Village
Setauket, NY – October 10, 2022 –
Nine years and counting…Emma Clark Library hosts the Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest for junior high and high school students, and the annual competition begins this month. Three Village students in grades 7 – 12 are asked to create a picture book for children. The winning teens receive a substantial monetary prize, are recognized at a special ceremony, and have the honor of their original books added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection.
Students in grades 7 – 12 who live in Three Village are invited to showcase their creative artistic and writing talents, whether it be individually or collaboratively with a friend, in creating a children’s picture book by the contest deadline in January. Once the artwork and text are judged, winners are announced in March, and there is a ceremony in the spring honoring the winners and their original books. In addition to Library Trustees and staff, in the past, teachers and top school district administrators, as well as representatives and elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and Brookhaven Town, have all been in attendance at the event.
Last year’s Grand Prize winners were Matthew Blumenthal (Grades 7 – 9 category) and Amelia Grant and Anna Grant (Grades 10 – 12 category). The public may view previous year’s winning entries at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.
Contest Details: The contest is 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. Each entry can be the work of a single author/illustrator or can be a joint effort between an author and an illustrator. The picture book entries must be their own original work (both artwork and text).
How to Enter: Those in grades 7 – 12 may obtain an Official Entry Form in-person in the Library’s lobby or online at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward starting October 18, 2022. Included with the form are the contest procedures & guidelines. They should bring their completed picture book, along with a completed Official Entry Form, to the Children’s Department by the contest deadline, January 31, 2023.
Prizes and Winner Information: Each of the First Prize award recipients will receive $400, and each of the Second Prize award recipients will receive $100 (in the event that a winning entry is a collaboration, the prize will be shared). Winning entries are bound, made into a hardcover book, and added to the Library’s shelves. Additional copies of the winning books will also be available for purchase by family and friends. Winners and their families will be invited to an awards ceremony on Monday, April 24, 2023. All entrants will receive a Certificate of Participation.
The Helen Stein Shack Picture Book 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 ongoing cost of the prizes.
Please note: A maximum of one entry will be accepted per individual. Entries may be a collaboration of no more than one author and one artist/illustrator. Entrants must live within the Three Village Central School District. Emma Clark employees, trustees, and members of their household are not eligible to enter. For a complete listing of the rules, visit emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.
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”
###
8th Annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award Ceremony Back In-Person at Library
Setauket, NY – April 13, 2022 –
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 guests from the community gathered on Tuesday evening, April 12th to honor the winners of the eighth annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Pete the Penguin Goes to the Library by Matthew Blumenthal (9th grader at Murphy Junior High School)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): The Raccoon Jug-Band written by Amelia Grant and illustrated by Anna Grant (Homeschooled 10th and 11th graders)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): The Big Carrot by Julia Hou (8th grader at Gelinas Junior High School)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Mareld by Ammella Een (Homeschooled 12th grader)
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 Matthew Blumenthal (9th grader at R.C. Murphy Junior High School) and Amelia Grant and Anna Grant (10th and 11th graders who are homeschooled) and $100 checks for second prize winners Julia Hou (8th grader at P.J. Gelinas Junior High School) and Ammella Een (12th grader who is homeschooled). Senator Mario Mattera, Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Legislator Kara Hahn, Supervisor Ed Romaine, and Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich were all in attendance to present certificates to the winners from New York State, Suffolk County, and Brookhaven Town, respectively.
Many of the speakers discussed the wonderful talent and bright futures of these winners. Assemblyman Steve Englebright remarked, “We get a preview here, actually, of the future. And because young people who dare to dream, and in this case, put those dreams to paper and make it into art and literature, that is the future and it is reassuring.” Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine commented, “We have some authors here this evening who are young in age, but wise in experience.”
Library Board President Deborah Blair, Vice President Christopher Fletcher, Treasurer Carol Leister, Secretary Dave Douglas, and trustees Orlando Maione and Suzanne Shane were there to congratulate the winners. Three Village Central School District Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Kevin Scanlon, Murphy Junior High Principal Brian Biscari, Murphy Junior High English Chair Jessica Metrio, and Murphy Junior High School Librarian Betsy Knox, and Ward Melville High School Librarian April Hatcher were all in attendance.
Guests enjoyed special treats donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop, a local Three Village-owned business. Ward Melville High School teen volunteer Raymond Lang 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.
Senator Mario Mattera commented, “You accomplished something so incredible, and I just want to say congratulations to all the winners.”
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 awards as a tribute to their mother and her commitment to passing along the importance and joy of reading for generations to come. Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich mentioned that Mrs. Shack not only created a legacy of her family members, but also the legacy of the books that come out of this contest.
Mrs. Shack’s son, Ed Taylor, spoke about a milestone in their family this past year – the birth of the first great grandchild of the late Helen Stein Shack. “She’s going to be sitting on our laps, and we’ll be reading her the books that were inspired by this competition that’s in the name of this little girl’s great grandmother, who she didn’t get a chance to meet, but who she’ll have that connection through these books…we thought we were giving a gift to the library, but the library really gave us a gift.”
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”
Annual Book Contest for Three Village Junior High and High School Students
Setauket, NY – September 24, 2021 –
Emma Clark Library is pleased to announce the 8th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest, a challenge for junior high and high school students in Three Village to create a picture book for children. The winning teens receive a sizable monetary prize, are recognized at a special ceremony, and receive the honor of having their books added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection.
Those in grades 7 – 12 are invited to showcase their creative artistic and writing abilities, whether it be individually or collaboratively with a friend. The Library encourages students to enjoy the process and think back to when they were young children first learning to read and discovering picture books. This year the Library is opening the contest a month earlier than previous years, in order to give entrants more time to work on their creations, which always turn out beautiful, but are understandably a lot of planning and hard work. Last year’s Grand Prize winners were Julia Garcia –Diaz and Lea A. Nekrasov (Grades 7 – 9 category) and Rebecca Blumenthal (Grades 10 – 12 category). The public may view previous year’s winning entries at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.
Once the artwork and text are judged, winners are announced in March, and there is a ceremony in the spring honoring the winners and their original books. In addition to Library Trustees and staff, in the past, teachers and top school district administrators, as well as representatives and elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and Brookhaven Town have all been in attendance at the event.
Contest Details: The contest is 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. Each entry can be the work of a single author/illustrator or can be a joint effort between an author and an illustrator. The picture book entries must be their own original work (both artwork and text).
How to Enter: Those in grades 7 – 12 may obtain an Official Entry Form in-person in the Library’s lobby or online at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward starting October 12, 2021. Included with the form are the contest procedures & guidelines. They should bring their completed picture book, along with a completed Official Entry Form, to the Children’s Department by the contest deadline, January 31, 2022.
Prizes and Winner Information: Each of the First Prize award recipients will receive $400, and each of the Second Prize award recipients will receive $100 (in the event that a winning entry is a collaboration, the prize will be shared). Winning entries are bound, made into a hardcover book, and added to the Library’s shelves. Additional copies of the winning books will also be available for purchase by family and friends. Winners and their families will be invited to an awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. All entrants will receive a Certificate of Participation.
The Helen Stein Shack Picture Book 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 ongoing cost of the prizes.
Please note: A maximum of one entry will be accepted per author. Entries may be a collaboration of no more than one author and one artist/illustrator. Entrants must live within the Three Village Central School District. Emma Clark employees, trustees, and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter. For a complete listing of the rules, visit emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.
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”
###
Virtual Ceremony Honors 2020 & 2021 Winners of the Library’s Picture Book Award
Setauket, NY – April 21, 2021 –
This year, Emma Clark Library board members & staff, the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, elected officials, representatives from the Three Village Central School District, and guests from the community gathered virtually on Monday evening, April 20th to honor the winners of the 2020 & 2021 Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award:
2021 Winners:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Alice Helps by Julia Garcia-Diaz and Lea A. Nekrasov (8th graders at Gelinas Junior High)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): A New Normal by Rebecca Blumenthal (12th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Frankie Gets Stuck by Matthew Blumenthal (8th grader at Murphy Junior High)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Peanut’s Passion by Matthew Marchese (10th grader at Ward Melville High School
2020 Winners:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Oliver’s Walk by Celia Gordon (last year an 8th grade homeschooler)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Your Part by Rebecca Blumenthal (last year an 11th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): The Knight and the Monster by Ricky Herling and Ashton Hopkins (last year both 8th graders at Gelinas Junior High School)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): How Tom Talks by Riley Meckley (last year a 10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
At the event, Library Director Ted Gutmann, along with the family of Helen Stein Shack, presented a slideshow celebration highlighting each of the winners and their books. The winners were a mix from Ward Melville High School, Gelinas Junior High School, R.C. Murphy Junior High School and a local homeschool student.
The Library had all of the winning entries bound and made into hardcover books. The winners received copies of the books, along with monetary awards from an endowment created by the Shack family ($400 for first prize and $100 for second prize; in a case of two students collaborating on the book together, prizes are split). The winning books will be on display in the Library’s lobby for the month of May, and then they will be added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection.
The community is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack, who have established a substantial endowment with Emma Clark to 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. Mrs. Shack’s daughter, Sherry Cleary mentioned, “Our mother knew that a love of reading nurtured children’s souls as well as their brains.”
NY Senator Mario Mattera was there to congratulate the winners, “I commend everyone for their hard work.”
Senator Mattera, Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, and Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich spoke at the event, as well as sent certificates from the state and town to all of the winners. Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn also sent certificates and personalized letters to all of the winners (Legislative Aide Alyssa Turano was in attendance at the ceremony).
Councilmember Kornreich stated, “The ability to write and express your ideas is going to be such a valuable skill, and I have every confidence that you here who are recipients of this award are destined for great success.”
Library Board President Deborah Blair and Vice President Christopher Fletcher were on the Zoom event to virtually applaud the winners. Three Village Central School District Trustee Deanna BavInka, Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich, Gelinas Junior High School Principal Corinne Keane, R.C. Murphy Junior High School Principal Brian Biscari, Gelinas Junior High School English Chair Michelle Hanczor, R.C. Murphy Junior High School English Chair Cathy Duffy, and Ward Melville High School Librarian April Hatcher were all in attendance.
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.
Ms. Cleary, Helen Shack’s daughter, is an expert in child development and education as the University Dean in Early Childhood Initiatives at the City University of New York, and she summed the honor up nicely:
Every year my siblings and I are overwhelmed at the talent that emerges – it is almost impossible to select winners. We recognize the generosity, wisdom, artistry, and sensitivity each author displays in their book. And this year is no different, except that this year the external forces were very different. Between a global pandemic and some of the most disturbing hate crimes and violence of your young lives, you have shown us there is a reason to hope and to look to the future with optimism. We know that our mother would be so moved by your talent, drive and tenacity – and so are we!
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”
The Heart of the Three Village Community
