The Heart of the Three Village Community
Posts Tagged ‘helen stein shack picture book award’
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”
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8th Annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award Winners Announced
Setauket, NY – March 10, 2022 –
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 in the Three Village Central School District:
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)
The Raccoon Jug-Band, written by Amelia Grant and illustrated by Anna Grant, has handsomely colored and textured illustrations, along with a sing-song, uplifting story about music and celebration. Pete the Penguin Goes to the Library by Matthew Blumenthal is a fun story about all of the places you can “travel” to – such as medieval castles, outer space, the forest, and a city with superheroes – just by taking a trip to the library and being immersed in a book. Mareld by Ammella Een transports the young reader to an island with a girl who is trying to find her way home, and the book is done in gentle pen and beautiful watercolor that shows off both the landscape and the girl’s facial features. The Big Carrot by Julia Hou has charmingly delicate drawings of two bunnies who plant carrots together and tells of how they grow not just carrots, but in moral character.
Contest winners will be celebrated at a private awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 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 Bakes 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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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”
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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”
Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award Winners Announced
Setauket, NY – March 11, 2021 –
Emma Clark Library has revealed the winners for the Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award, an annual contest for junior high and high school students in the Three Village Central School District:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Alice Helps written by Julia Garcia-Diaz Lea A. Nekrasov (both 8th graders at Gelinas Junior High School)
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 School)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Peanut’s Passion by Matthew Marchese (10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
The books explore themes that all children can relate to – helping others, caring about the environment, finding something you enjoy, and even coping with the pandemic.
Contest winners will be celebrated at a private online awards ceremony on Monday, April 19, 2021 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. In the event of 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.
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.
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. This year’s event will be held online in order to keep everyone safe, and the 2020 winners will be honored at the ceremony as well, since we were not able to hold the event last year due to the pandemic. Emma Clark Library is pleased to be able to celebrate these imaginative and hard-working teens and add their original books to the Library’s collection for the entire community to enjoy.
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”
The Heart of the Three Village Community
