Virginia Festival of the Book Announces 1999 Poster Contest Winners

Charlottesville, VA (Mar. 9, 1999) -- Organizers of the Fifth Annual Virginia Festival of the Book and Altrusa, who sponsored the annual festival poster contest, announced the statewide winners today. They are as follows: At the elementary level, 1st-Chelsea Curtin, Broadus Wood Elementary School, Earlysville; 2nd-Ting Chen, Hugh Mercer Elementary School, Fredericksburg; 3rd-Pooja Kirpekar, Woodbrook Elementary School, Charlottesville. Middle School, 1st-Josh Dehoux, Thomas Hunter Middle School, Mathews; 2nd-Kara Drummond, Thomas Hunter Middle School, Mathews; 3rd-Laura Watts, Central Middle School, Charlotte Court House. High School, all from the Arlington Career Center in Arlington, 1st-Erick Rodriguez, 2nd-Alex Beard, and 3rd-Ingrid Schwaiko.

The poster contest is an opportunity for children in grades K-12 to become involved in the Festival's annual celebration of books and promotion of literacy through their artwork. Altrusa of Charlottesville has sponsored the contest in the past, but this year the contest was expanded throughout the state and other chapters of Altrusa became involved as sponsors. Altrusa is an international community service organization that espouses volunteerism, service and fights for literacy and against AIDS.

Three winners in each age category (K-4, 5-8, 9-12) were chosen in each region of the state. The regional first place winners were judged in the final, statewide round of the contest. The winners receive a signed book by a Festival author, and the finalists receive gift certificates from their local bookstores. Four of the winning entries will be made into note cards to be sold during the festival. All proceeds are used to help fund the Virginia Festival of the Book. Winning entries will be on display at the Central Library in Charlottesville during the Festival. The complete list of winners follows this release.