Gia Giambruno '26 and Elle Warner '26 were recognized as Raleigh-Wake Young Authors, winning at the State Level.

Gia and Elle (who received the Council Choice award), along with the other winners from North Carolina, will have their stories published in the 2016-2017 NCRA Book, Step Outside! The judges received almost 600 entries this year, and the entries went through two rigorous rounds of judging.

The Young Authors were encouraged to write about personal experiences with the natural world or investigate a natural world topic, according to NCReading.org.

Gia and Elle are both in Mrs. Simpson's third grade class.

In third grade, students learn how to think critically about what they are reading through
written reflections in their reader's notebooks, conversations in reading partnerships and book clubs. Students experience writing about narrative, opinion, informational and fairy tale genres. Written expression focuses on the craft of writing, which includes organization, idea development, language use, word choice and writer's voice.

Congratulations to Gia and Elle!

Excerpt from Gia's story:

By the time I'm a grandmother, will there be any nature left to show my grandchildren or will there only be animal exhibits that show them on the verge of extinction? We are cutting down hundreds of thousands of trees a year and forcing animals out of their natural habitats. If this deforestation continues, eventually it will change the cycle of life for all living things.

Excerpt from Elle's poem:

And as we watch the seasons go,

From green grass, to leaves, to ice-cold snow,

No good-bye the seasons say,

But in their world we make our way.

Gia and Elle, 3rd graders in Mrs. Simpson's class