Citywide contest yields some great writing from locals.

The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture, asks communities to come together to read and discuss one book.

The book selected for the Santa Clarita Valley was Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Valencia Library, Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library, and the Newhall Library were chosen to spearhead this event.

From February – May 2007, a number of programs were scheduled to highlight the classic Fahrenheit 451.

The kick off for The Big Read – Santa Clarita Valley was an essay contest with monetary awards sponsored by the Friends of the Libraries of the Santa Clarita Valley.

Two hundred forty-nine entries were submitted from students who addressed the question: If you could save ONLY ONE book from extinction, which book would you select and why?

Winners In The 7th – 9th Grade Division

1st place – Alyssa Olinger from Placerita Jr High School – A Thousand & One Gems of English & American Poetry

2nd place – Melissa Chang from Placerita Junior High School – Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

3rd place – Megan Guthrie-Wedemeyer from Rancho Pico Junior High School – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Winners In The 10t h- 12th Grade Division

1st place – Caitlin Coen from Canyon High School – The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss

2nd place – Kristen Caprino Saugus High School – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

3rd place – Jennifer Swann from Academy of the Canyons – The Giver by Lois Lowry

Winners In The Local College Division

1st place – Mora Sandeen from College of the Canyons – Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, unabridged.

2nd place – Mary Flubert from College of the Canyons – Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

Honorable Mentions

Roann Bautista from Golden Valley High School – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Josh David from La Mesa Junior High School – The Aesop for Children

Holly L. Nelson from West Ranch High School – The Most Brilliant Thoughts of All Time by John Shanahan

Haley Odorizzi from Santa Clarita Christian School – The Bible

Awards sponsored by the Friends of the Libraries of the Santa Clarita Valley

$250 for first place; $100 for second place; and $50 for third place. $25 for Honorable Mentions.

For a listing of upcoming events, check the website: www.thebigread-scv.org