Writer To Writer 2008 - Awards

7th Annual Writer To Writer Challenge

an inspiring celebration of letters written by adult learners in California Library Literacy programs to authors of books that have changed their lives.

SCLLN - Winners & Runners Up

Beginning Level Winner:
Laurie H, Hemet Public Library
wrote to Laura Ingalls Wilder - On the Banks of Plum Creek

Runner Up:

~ Jorge S, Escondido Public Library, wrote to John Steinbeck - The Pearl

Intermediate Level Winner:
Sandra G, Oceanside Public Library
wrote to Ernest Hemingway - The Old Man and the Sea

Runner Up:Runner Up:

~ Blanca M, Riverside County Library wrote to Cecil Murphy - 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life

Advanced Level Winner:

Juan S, San Diego Public Library
wrote to Nicholas Sparks - The Notebook

Runner Up:

~ Dorothy C, Los Angeles Public Library wrote to Toni Morrison - The Bluest Eye

SCLLN 2008 Writer to Writer Challenge Finalists:
(in alphabetical order by last name)

Beginning Level:
Sarah B, San Diego Public Library
Jiyoung K, Newport Beach Public Library
Christine K, Alhambra Public Library
Tina L, San Diego Public Library
Jorge S, Escondido Public Library
Genoveva T, Escondido Public Library

Intermediate Level
Araceli C, Escondido Public Library
Anonymous, National City Public Library
Blanca M, Riverside Public Library
Kay H, Hemet Public Library
Mikaba S, Newport Beach Public Library
Anonymous, Altadena Library District

Advanced Level
Dorothy C, Los Angeles Public Library

2008 Statewide Writer to Writer Challenge

Winners & Runners Up

Emerging Level Winner:

Ferial H, Santa Clara County Free Library, wrote to Chase Ferris-Remember the Ladies: A Story about Abigail Adams
Runners Up:

~ Angelita O, Solano County Library, wrote to Lois Markham-Helen Keller
~ Michael S, Oakland Public Library, wrote to Edith Bajema-Trapped by Memory

Beginning Level Winner:

Laurie H, Hemet Public Library, wrote to Laura Ingalls Wilder-On the Banks of Plum Creek
Runners Up:
~ Jorge S, Escondido Public Library, wrote to John Steinbeck-The Pearl
~ Walter W, Stanislaus County Free Library, wrote to Daniel G. Amen, M.D.-Change your Brain, Change your Life.

Intermediate Level Winner:
Sandra G, Oceanside Public Library, wrote to Ernest Hemingway-The Old Man and the Sea
Runners Up:
~ Blanca M, Riverside County Library, wrote to Cecil Murphy-90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life
~ Sharon Z, Contra Costa County Library, wrote to Gail Tsukiyama-The Samurai’s Garden

Advanced Level Winner:
Juan S, San Diego Public Library, wrote to Nicholas Sparks-The Notebook
Runners Up:
~ Dorothy C, Los Angeles Public Library, wrote to Toni Morrison-The Bluest Eye
~ Anonymous, Santa Clara Public Library, wrote to Charlotte Bronte-Jane Eyre

Adult literacy program recognized
Reporter: Dec 8, 2008

The Solano County Library Adult Literacy Program obtained special recognition recently for its participation in a statewide writing challenge sponsored by the California State Library. The award was presented in San Jose on November 15 during the California Library Association's annual conference.

The Mary Miller Inspirational Award was presented to Solano County Library literacy staff for encouraging the greatest number of adult learners from any one library system to participate in the Writer to Writer Challenge.

For the challenge, learners read a book, then wrote a letter to the author explaining why the book was significant to the learner's life.

Letters are judged by committees of fellow adult learners. Twenty-three Solano County Library learners submitted entries this year.

Mary Miller, literacy program coordinator of the Glendale Public Library, was the 2007 Writer to Writer chair and a member of the 2008 committee until her untimely death on September 1.  READ MORE

2015 Writer To Writer Challenge

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2015 Writer To Writer Challenge

Southern California Library Literacy Network

Awards Ceremony :: March 5, 2016

Time to kick off the Writer to Writer Challenge !

The Writer to Writer Challenge is a writing contest open to all adult learners of SCLLN member programs. Adult learners read or listen to a book, then write a 500-word (or less) letter to the author, whether living or dead, to describe how the book has influenced their life. 

Encourage your learners to listen to an audio-book, or read a book, any book, with their tutor. When they find one that changed the way they think about life, encourage them to write a letter to the author of the book. The letter is just a friendly note to an author, living or dead, describing the impact the book had on their life. The letter can be short or long, but it must be under 500 words. The learners can write about a book they have read or an audio-book they have listened to.

The book read and the letter written must be in English.

Letters must be received in Carlsbad on or before Thursday December 3, 2015.

Winners are selected in 4 groups:
Emerging group :: dictate a letter to tutor or staff
Beginning group :: write a basic, simple letter independently
Intermediate group :: write a more complex letter with larger vocabulary
Advanced group :: write independently with little support from tutor or staff

Winners Announced in February 2016

Awards Ceremony on March 5, 2016

Cash Prizes for Winners

Cash Prizes & Goody Bag for Runners-Up

Certificates for all participants

Sponsor

Writer to Writer Challenge

Carrie Scott

Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Writer to Writer Chair

TEL: 760-931-4515   FAX: 760-729-8335

Click here for Last Year’s Winners

2016 SCLLN Literacy Conference :: March 5 2016

SCLLN Literacy Conference 2016

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Buena Park Holiday Inn  7000 Beach Boulevard  Buena Park CA

Writer to Writer Awards Ceremony

Southern California Library Literacy Network

Literacy Conference Registration

Is Now Open!

Early Bird Registration  :::  Feb 19, 2016

Click Here To Register (PDF file) (Word document)
$ 40.00: SCLLN Member Tutors and Staff

$ 15.00: SCLLN Adult Learners

$ 75.00: Non-Members

LUNCH ONLY ~ Writer To Writer Awards Ceremony ~ Members: $ 45.00

After Feb 19 or @ Conference:

$ 50.00: SCLLN Member Tutors and Staff

$ 25.00: SCLLN Adult Learners
$ 75.00: Non-Members

LUNCH ONLY ~ Writer To Writer Awards Ceremony ~ $ 50.00 everyone

Register by email: literacy@surfcity-hb.org 

~ Send hard copy registrations to ~

Diane Moseley, Literacy Services

Huntington Beach Public Library

7111 Talbert

Huntington Beach, CA  92648

Mail Payments to:

SCLLN, c/o Diane Moseley, HBPL

7111 Talbert Ave

Huntington Beach, CA  92648

Check in and Continental Breakfast: 8:00-8:45

Workshops begin promptly at 9:00

Strand 1   ~   9:00 – 10:15

Teaching Pronunciation: Margaret Watkins, READ OC

Using Children’s Books to Teach Adults: Jerry Edwards, Santa Fe Springs Library

Choosing a Book You’ll Love!: Carrie Scott, Carlsbad Library

Basics of Personal Finance: Melissa Manning, Credit Union of Southern California

Social Media for Beginners: Susan Vega, READ San Diego

Strand 2   ~   10:30 – 11:45

How to Teach Writing: Toby Larson, Newport Beach Library

Tutor Ready: New LINCS Resources for Teaching Adults to Read: Kathy St. John, CLLS

English Language, Literacy and Vocabulary Development: Rebecca Braun, READ OC

Basics of Personal Finance: Melissa Manning, Credit Union of Southern California

Learning with Your Smartphone or Tablet: Susan Vega, READ San Diego

Lunch  :::  Writer to Writer Presentations

Strand 3   ~   1:45 – 3:00

US Citizenship and Immigration Services: UCSIS

Techniques for Assisting Adults with Learning Disabilities: Kathy St. John, CLLS

How to Use Recipes as a Literacy Tutoring Tool: Aleida Gordon, California Poly, Pomona

Writer To Writer Panel: Carrie Scott, Carlsbad Library

S P O N S O R S H I P S

2016 SCLLN Literacy Conference

Writer To Writer Awards

2017 Writer To Writer Challenge :: Award Presentation :: April 14

2017 Writer To Writer Challenge !

SCLLN is excited to announce the winners and runners-up for the 2017 Writer to Writer Challenge !

We had a great response—86 entries—and the quality of the letters was amazing!  We are so proud of all of the learners who wrote letters.  Each letter was a beautiful expression of the learner’s thoughts and feelings.  The ones selected as winners and runners-up most closely met the contest criteria, but as one coordinator said, every letter had its own “pizzazz.” 

Please join SCLLN’s

adult learners, tutors and coordinators at the upcoming 

2018 Southern California Library Literacy

Network (SCLLN) Conference,

to be held at the Buena Park Holiday Inn on Saturday, April 14th.

We hope you will join us for the Writer to Writer lunch, if not for the entire conference, and listen as the winner from each category reads their amazing letter!

The winners and runners-up will each receive a cash prize and a certificate, and all letter writers will receive a certificate of participation.  We encourage all coordinators to invite and sponsor all of your writers and their tutors for this special event.  The registration fees are only $15 for learners and $35 for tutors/staff (early bird, SCLLN member) and are an appropriate use of CLLS grant funding.  Inviting your Writer to Writer participants would be an excellent way to recognize our writers and their tutors.  Congratulations to all of our letter writers!

Emerging Category :: Winner

Carmen C, Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom

Runners-Up

Angella V, Huntington Beach Central Library

Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough, Kay Warren

Rowshon A, Placentia Library

Eleanor Everywhere The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt, Monica Kulling

Beginning Category :: Winner

Nyla H, Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

First Grave on the Right, Darynda Jones

Runners-Up

Mohammad M, Santa Monica Public Library

Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman!, Richard P. Feyman

Magdalena O, Los Angeles Public Library

Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes

Intermediate Category :: Winner

Elaheh K, Los Angeles Public Library

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

Runners-Up

Ella K, Riverside Public Library

The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros

Maria A, READ San Diego - Central Library

The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway

Advanced Category :: Winner

Juliana B, Huntington Beach Central Library

I am Malala, Malala Yousafzai

Runners-Up

Angelica G, Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel

Anonymous, Santa Monica Public Library

Unlimited Power, Anthony Robbins

Early Bird Registration Fee

$35.00:  Volunteer or Staff

$15.00:  Adult Learner

Lunch only; $35.00 by early-bird for members

Early Bird :: DEADLINE :: March 30, 2018

After Mar 30 or @ Conference

$ 50.00: SCLLN Member Tutors and Staff

$ 20.00: SCLLN Adult Learners

Non-Members - $ 75.00

NO REFUNDS AFTER APRIL 9

If you would like to Sponsor the

Conference

Writer To Writer Challenge

or support SCLLN, please contact: Diane Moseley

SCLLN 2013 Writer to Writer Challenge Awards: March 8

Southern California Library Literacy Network - SCLLN

Writer to Writer Challenge - 2013

The Southern California Library Literacy Network is excited to announce the winners and runners-up for the 2013 Writer to Writer Challenge! We received a large response—45 entries—and the quality of the letters was amazing! We are so proud of all of the learners who wrote letters. We are grateful to the coordinators and learner judging panels at Huntington Beach Public Library, National City Public Library, Newport Beach Central Public Library, and Carlsbad City Library for donating their time to judge the letters.

Please join us at the Southern California Library Literacy Network Literacy Conference at the Holiday Inn, Buena Park, on Saturday, March 8, where the winners will be recognized during the lunch program. The winners and runners-up will each receive a cash prize and a certificate, and may attend the conference at our expense but they must pre-register.  All letter writers will receive a certificate of participation.

Congratulations to everyone who entered the 2013 Writer to Writer Challenge!

Emerging Category

Winner

Celso L, Carlsbad City Library

“Heaven is for Real,” by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

Runners-Up

Robert P, Carlsbad City Library, “Harvests of Joy,” by Robert Mondavi

Stephanie R, Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, “Sable,” by Karen Hesse

Beginning Category

Winner

Maribel G, Huntington Beach Public Library

“The Three Little Pigs,” by Mercé Escardó

Runners-Up

Amatul M, Beaumont Public Library, “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” by Khaled Hosseini

Marnalee L, Newport Beach Public Library, “Beautiful Boy,” by David Sheff

Intermediate Category

Winner

Alejandrina R, Carlsbad City Library

“The Lemon Orchard,” by Luanne Rice

Runners-Up

Dominique C, Carlsbad City Library, “It’s Your Time,” by Joel Osteen

Selina K, Newport Beach Public Library, “The Wedding,” by Nicolas Sparks

Advanced Category

Winner

Hermond J, Carlsbad City Library

“Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?” by Reginald F. Lewis, Blair S. Walker, and Richard Parsons

Runners-Up

Blanca F, Beaumont Public Library, “Skinny,” by Donna Cooner

Teruyo M, Newport Beach Public Library, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee

Carrie Scott and Tiera Garfield

Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Writer to Writer Co-Chairs

Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Sponsor & Support 2014 Literacy Conference

2014 SCLLN Literacy Conference

Writer to Writer Challenge

Huntington Beach Library - Recent literacy conference a huge success

Recent literacy conference a huge success By Susan Hodge

Open Doors: April 2014 Huntington Beach Public Library Literacy Volunteers The only voice heard was that of the reader, standing alone at the podium. As the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN) conference participants listened with rapt attention, the winners of the Writer-to-Writer challenge read their heartfelt letters. Literacy learners from all over Orange County had submitted responses to their favorite writers, relating how the author's words had impacted their lives. Our own Oak View learner, Maribel, won the beginning category, charming the audience by reading her letter to the author of "The Three Little Pigs", comparing the pig's brick house to the strength of her own family. Held at the Buena Park Holiday Inn March 14, the SCLLN conference was attended by enthusiastic tutors, learners and literacy specialists. The goal of the yearly gathering is to bring together literacy advocates, volunteers and learners from around Orange County to further literacy awareness, share ideas, and celebrate the winners of the Writer-to-Writer challenge.  "The highlight of the day was during lunch, when awards were presented to this year's Writer-to-Writer challenge winners," commented Diane Moseley, SCLLN President and Huntington Beach Public Library Literacy Services Director. Winners in each category read their compositions to the audience and were awarded cash prizes as well as other literacy-related items. Individual sessions included a variety of topics, such as "How to Write Better Sentences," "Techniques for Assisting Adults with Learning Issues," "Bring Children's Books to Life," and "Alphabetics ~ A Critical Component of Reading."  "It is rewarding to have tutors implement ideas they learned at the conference," stated Moseley, "I have received many enthusiastic comments from learners, volunteers and staff about their workshops, the lunch and networking with participants from other programs. The dedicated and hard work of our volunteers, and the utmost professionalism of our session presenters, provided a day of rich learning and comradeship."

Family Literacy learner wins Writer-to-Writer challenge

Maribel Garcia and her tutor Kathy Parker Congratulations to Maribel Garcia who won the beginning category for this year's Writer-to-Writer contest. She wrote her letter to the author of "The Three Little Pigs". She has been working with her tutor, Kathy Parker for a year and a half. She and Kathy attended the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN) conference on March 8 where Maribel read her letter and received her certificate and prizes.  I really like this book; the story of the three brother pigs. This book is about the importance of family because when the three little pigs decided to separate and they do not think the three could contribute ideas to build their home. Also patience is important example: The first little pig built his hut very fast. The second pig built his shack less fast. The third pig built his house more slowly, but built well with strong walls, windows and roof. The wolf is the problem, he quickly collapsed the houses of the first two pigs. But he could not with the third because he made it strong with bricks and mortar.  The family is like the house of bricks and mortar. If we stay together in a strong house, the wolf will stay away.

Writer to Writer Celebration Event ▬ International Literacy Day ▬ September 8 @ 1 PM

Writer to Writer Celebration Event

International Literacy Day

September 8 - 1 PM

National Literacy Month

Writer to Writer Celebration Event

CLA Calendar: 9.8.2020

Join adult literacy learners and State Librarian Greg Lucas in honoring the winners of the annual Writer to Writer Challenge! Writer to Writer is an annual writing contest held in literacy programs in Southern California Library Literacy Network libraries and Monterey County Free Library.

Learners read a book, then write a letter to the author about the impact the book had on their life. 

Hear the learners read their letters and get inspired to create your own Writer to Writer letter.

Carlsbad Library :: Writer-to-Writer—Congratulations Pierre S.!

Writer-to-Writer—Congratulations Pierre S.!

Learning Connections: March/April 2015

The results are in! The Writer to Writer Challenge, sponsored by the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN), wrapped up this year with a record number of entries—80—and the quality of the letters was amazing! We are so proud of all of the learners who wrote letters.

Writers, tutors, coordinators and their guests gathered at a wonderful brunch held Saturday, March 7, at the Radisson in Newport Beach. The winners read their letters, and winners and runners-up each received a cash prize and a certificate. All writers received a certificate of participation.

Congratulations to Pierre S., “P.J. Rock,” from Literacy Services who won first place in the Emerging Writer category of the Writer to Writer Challenge. He wrote his letter to Burton Goodman, the author of Goodman’s Five-Star Stories—Travels: 8 Stories from Around the World with Tests to Help You Read and Write.

December 2, 2014

Dear Mr. Goodman,

I liked your book "Travels" because it really helped me a lot. It improved my skills. When I read the stories, I could understand them a little. Then I could do the questions without anybody's help, and my tutor checked my answers. I like the exercises because they improve my reading, spelling, and writing. And I did a really great job!

I've never done this before; in school they gave me books to learn how to read, but it was difficult for me to know how to pronounce things and understand them. The library taught me a lot more than they taught me at school. I still need to improve myself and learn how to read better, but I'm working on it.

One of my brothers told me about his friend I could work for. And my brother's friend could try to teach me how to read. This helped me a little bit. He paid me to work in his garden, and then he would let me come inside the house to teach me how to read. But then I had to stop working for him.  Pierre’s full letter can be found on Page 4

Books from Writer-to-Writer found at the Learning Center:

Carlos and the Squash Plant, Jan Stevens

Chicken by Charlie, Tana Reiff

Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert

The Fault in Our Stars, John Green

The Giver, Lois Lowry

The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein

The Glass Castle: A Memoir, Jeannette Walls

Hatchet, Gary Paulsen

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Jamie Ford

Latina Magazine, Lauren Michaels

Life is So Good, George Dawson

Macho!, Victor Villaseñor

My Beloved World, Sonia Sotomayor

New Moon, Stephanie Meyer

The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg

Red Roses, Christine Lindop

River, Ed Hansen

The Saw That Talked, Tana Reiff

The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

Travels: 8 Stories from Around the World, Burton Goodman

Twilight, Stephanie Meyer