Youth Nature Writing Contest—Your Favorite Place in the Outdoors

And the Winners Are...

First Place

“The Hiawatha Bike Trail” by Emily Meshke

In the mountains of Montana there exists a bike trail. As you ride the trail you go through tunnels stretching as long as one point eight miles and across countless trestle bridges. The flowing green of pine trees stretching out before you. MORE…

Second Place

“The Dive” by Alex Carlson

I've always felt distant from the sea. It's a different world beneath the waves, one that most people will never experience. Most people will go their entire lives without ever touching the salty ocean water. But I, unlike most people, have had the privilege of spending time in it, if only for a short while.  MORE…

Third Place

“My First Camping Trip” by Joshua Moan

One of my best experiences with nature was my first camping trip. My first trip was with my Boy Scout Troop on Kodiak Island, Alaska. At the beginning of the scout year, we always went to Termination Point. To get there, we had to hike three miles along the coast and then set up camp. The hike was invigorating. Most of the time it was through the woods with Sitka Spruce trees all around us, and to the right was always the ocean. Hiking was up and down moss and grass covered hills. MORE….

Fifth Place

“The Happy Place” by Hannah Burkhart

There are places everyone goes; a happy place we use to escape everyday problems. For some of us, our happy place is a midnight sky, a raging waterfall, or a glorious rainy day. Your happy place can be where or what you want it to be. For me, my happy place is where I grew up, Alder Hill Farm.  MORE…

Special Merit—Staff Pick

“Just Around the River Bend “by Jessie Tussing

“Everyone quiet, please!” shouted Mr.Schauermann. “We're going to be heading out onto the river in just a second, but first, let's cover some ground rules.” Ignoring his speech, I imagined the rushing white water in my mind. The thrill of the image made my heart race and caused my hands to become hot and sweaty. I prepared myself for what was supposed to be the ride of my life. I felt as if I, a seventh grader, could take on Mother Nature herself with only an oar at hand. Impossible was nothing to me. MORE…

High school students from Clatsop, Tillamook, Columbia, Pacific, Wahkiakum, and Cowlitz counties were eligible to participate in the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park Youth Nature Writing Contest. Students were required to describe their favorite place in the outdoors in 500 words or less.

Prizes

First Place--$100 and a certificate of recognition, along with a Fort to Sea Trail water bottle.

Second Place--$50.00 and a certificate of recognition, along with a Fort to Sea Trail water bottle.

Third Place--$25.00 and a certificate of recognition, along with a Fort to Sea Trail water bottle.

Fourth Place--A book, Plants of the Pacific Northwest by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon, a certificate of recognition, a quill and ink kit, a carabineer, Fort Clatsop Journal, and a Fort to Sea Trail Water Bottle.

Fifth Place—A book, Animal Tracks of Oregon and Washington, a certificate of recognition, a quill and ink kit, a Fort Clatsop Journal, and a Fort to Sea Trail Water Bottle.

Sixth Place—A book, National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest, and a certificate of recognition, a quill and ink kit, and a Fort to Sea Trail Water Bottle.

Some of the winning authors also had the opportunity to read or discuss their essays during Earth Week on the KMUN Coast Community Radio show Arts: Live and Local. Some parts of the winning essays were published in the Coast Weekender of The Daily Astorian. 

The literary judge for the 2009 Youth Nature Writing Contest—Your Favorite Place in the Outdoors was author and naturalist Carol Frischmann. Carol graduated from Duke University with a degree in Science Education and has shared her love of nature as a high school science teacher, “Zoo Lady,” and Audubon volunteer.

Find Carol's work at NBC Universal's Petside.com, KGW.com and in books and magazines such as Animal Planet's Pet Care series and BowTie Publications. Her book, Pets and the Planet: A Guide to Sustainability will be available from Wiley and Sons in March, 2009.

This contest marks not only Earth Week, but also National Park Week, which took place April 18-26, 2009. The 2009 Youth Nature Writing Contest was sponsored by the Education Program at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, a partnership between the Lewis & Clark National Park Association and the national park. The 2009 Youth Nature Writing Contest—Your Favorite Place in the Outdoors was one of many Centennial Initiative events across America that celebrate the National Park Service’s upcoming 100^th anniversary in 2016.