Redskins Read Literacy Contest Winners!
The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation announced the winners in the 2009 Redskins Read literacy contests.
For area students in first, second, and third grades, they were asked to submit a story using the following writing prompt – imagine the Washington Redskins just hired you to work for them! Write a story telling what job they hired you to do and what you would do in that job.
The answers varied widely from being an American football translator to Redskins cheerleader to ticket sales. This year's winners for the Redskins Writing Contest are:
1st Place: Oscar (student from Alexandria, VA)
Excerpt from Oscar's first prize entry:
"If I was hired by the Redskins, I would translate the rules of American football to the rest of the world that do not play it. I would go on TV in different countries like China, France, England, and Italy to explain how to play. I would tell them that an American football is not really a football at all, but is shaped like a squashed oval and that just because the players look beefy does not mean they eat a lot of beef…
2nd Place: Jahmal (student from Washington, DC)
Excerpt from Jahmal's second prize entry:
...I was born a Redskins fan and am known around the world as the football guru. As the new coach, I've decided to make every player bionic to make them unstoppable. The Redskins are going to be so good that all ... [the] players are going to the Pro Bowl. Also, the Redskins are going to be so good that I'll be the first young African-American person to take the Washington Redskins to eight Super Bowls in a row.
3rd Place: Mackenzie (student from Manassas, VA)
Excerpt from Mackenzie's third prize entry:
...I would like to be a coach because they get to help the team with the football games and also score a lot of touchdowns and motivate them...to have faith in themselves and do their best...I would also make sure they set aside some time for charities and volunteer organizations. As we all know, playing pro sports, such as football, is a privilege.
For the upper elementary students (fourth, fifth, and sixth grades), they submitted original stories about the Washington Redskins that had to include each of the following five words – book, hat, milk, museum, and president.
Imaginations ran wild with these submissions including an interesting trip to the museum where Clinton Portis meets Abraham Lincoln to a dream about the "Redskins Rule" affecting the 2012 presidential election to the story of a young man's ambition to be an all-time great football coach.
This year's winners for the Football Five Essay Contest are:
1st Place: Alexandra (student from McLean, VA)
Excerpt from Alexandra's first prize entry:
One day, the Washington Redskins went to the museum of Natural History. The team went to the fossils exhibit, except for Clinton Portis. Instead, he went to the gift shop and bought a book. Right when he walked out of the gift shop, someone tripped over his leg and spilled milk all over him!
- "I'm sorry young lad," said the man with a beard and a black top hat.*
- "It's alright," said Clinton Portis. "Don't I know you from somewhere?" Clinton Portis announced.*
- The bearded man chuckled. "I'm Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of these United States."*
- Clinton Portis's mouth hung open.*
2nd Place: Katherine (student from Annandale, VA)
Excerpt from Katherine's second prize entry:
"Hey Brian," said Jeremy Jarmon to Brian Orakpo. "Do you like being a defensive end for the Redskins?"
"Love it. Being in Washington is great, too. I haven't seen much yet, but there's a lot I'd like to see. Do you want to go to the Museum of American History with me before practice?" asked Brian.
"Sure," answered Jeremy. "What do you want to see?"
"The Star Spangled Banner," Brian said.
"And Wally Amos's white hat," said Robert Henson as he walked up to them.
3rd Place: Lavanya and Susie (students from McLean, VA)
Excerpt from Lavanya's third prize entry:
…The Republican candidate and the Democrat rushed over to their televisions. It was four o'clock. The game was on. The Redskins were playing the Vikings. Halfway through the game, no one had scored yet. It just wasn't happening. News reporters and journalists were watching from the stands, waiting to find out the outcome of the game. The tension was building in everyone's nerves, especially the presidential candidates. Suddenly, someone scored…
Excerpt from Susie's third prize entry:
Football. That's the word. My word. There are just about two things that everyone knows about me – (1) my name is Luke and I'm 12 years old and (2) I'm in love with football. Football isn't just a sport to me, it's life. Now, I know a lot of people think a lot of people have said that and its cheesy and all, but to me, football IS my life...There's just one tiny problem. Let's just say, I'm not the best at it...yet. Even though I love football, I don't always get picked first in a game. I drop the ball. I don't know how to kick it and I have a lousy throw. Is that going to stop me from playing football? No way…
In conjunction with the Verizon Foundation's free, comprehensive Thinkfinity.org digital learning platform, 361,200 Redskins Read activity books filled with games, puzzles, trivia, and other exciting activities for youth in grades K-6 have been distributed to area branch libraries, elementary schools, after school centers, and literacy centers in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, the nonprofit philanthropic arm of the team combines the influence and popularity of the Washington Redskins with the resources and assets of Washington area corporations.
Founded by Redskins owner, Daniel M. Snyder, the Charitable Foundation is guided by its Leadership Council that consists of CEOs who help shape and define the philanthropic efforts of the Redskins to achieve a measurable impact on youth development in the areas of education, community outreach, and health and wellness.
