2008 - 2009 Diverse Minds Winners

Los Angeles
Angus & The Soccer Tryouts
Read Angus & The Soccer Tryouts
Angus & The Soccer Tryouts
Written and Illustrated by Megan Reed
La Canada High School - La Canada, California

Megan Reed, a senior at La Canada High School, was selected as the first-place winner of the 2009 Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge in Los Angeles County. In addition to the publication and distribution of her book, Megan will receive a $5,000 college scholarship, which she will use toward he studies at the University of California, Davis.

Megan has always loved creating art and has spent time volunteering in children's art classes. She values the Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge as an "eye opener" for thinking about issues of tolerance and diversity, and has continued to be interested in these topics since writing her book.

Second Place (Los Angeles)

Alfred Alfredo Bakes a Pie
Alfred Alfredo Bakes a Pie: A Story About Pie-Versity
Written by William Osborn
Illustrated by Amanda Monzon

Third Place (Los Angeles)

Bobby the blue footed booby
Bobby the Blue Footed Booby
Written by KrystalTung Illustrated by Jacques Lee
Sponsors:
The Weingart Foundation
New York
Lucie Goes to the Big City
Read Lucie Goes to the Big City
Lucie Goes to the Big City
Written and Illustrated by Emma Rabin-Court
Townsend Harris High School - Queens, New York
Teacher: Mrs. Aliza Sherman

Emma Rabin-Court, a sophomore at Townsend Harris High School in Queens, New York, was selected as the first-place winner of the 2009 Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge in New York City. In addition to the publication and distribution of her book, Emma received a $5,000 college scholarship.

Emma loves to read and write and is involved in several extra cirricular activities, including competitive swimming, playing trumpet in the school band, and writing for the school newspaper, The Classic. She wrote Lucie Goes to the Big City to celebrate the diversity that she sees everyday, and hopes to one day travel the world and write about the many cultures she experiences.

Second Place (NY)

The Clover Within
The Clover Within  
Written by Ruth Eraza
Illustrated by Veronica Zamora

Third Place (NY)

Picture
The Third Wheel
Written and Illustrated by Daniel Shimunov, Karishma Deonarain, and Raymond Klien
Sponsors:
To all the students who participated in this year's Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge, we thank you for your participation and your time to create such great submissions! We hope you enjoyed the contest and experienced greater insight into the meaning and application of diversity and tolerance.