Sixth Grade Writers Shine in Essay Contest

Each week, Shorewood Patch selects individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments for our Whiz Kid feature.

This week's Patch Whiz Kids are four essay winners, Jake Marble, Arundhati Pillai, Eli Frank and Maeve McKaig.

School: Lake Bluff Elementary School

Accomplishments: Jake Marble and Arundhati Pillai, Lake Bluff Elementary School sixth graders, were the Shorewood first-place winners of an annual essay contest. Second place went to Eli Frank and Maeve McKaig, also sixth graders at Lake Bluff. District and St. Robert sixth graders were tasked with writing an 300-word essay about an older person they have a special relationship with, like a grandmother or neighbor. The contest awards one sixth-grade girl and boy with a $50 savings bond and a trip to a state competition.

Jake's essay was about traveling to Door County with his grandmother and spending time in a cabin. 

"I remember this time we went canoeing. She never really liked canoeing, but I know she would go because I wanted to go," Jake said. "It was just a great time."

Arundhati titled her essay “My Grandmother." She said she wrote about her grandmother cheering her up after she was sent to detention for the first time at school.

Eli wrote “The Time of My Life," which reminisced about spending time at his aunt Bernice's house.

"That was like the funniest memory I have," Eli said.

Maeve wrote “Two Friends and Tic-Tac-Toe,” which is about spending time with her grandmother on Christmas.

"I would always go into her bed in the morning, and we would always play tic-tac-toe," Maeve said.

The statewide essay contest has been running since 2004 and is sponsored by the Wisconsin Association of Senior Centers, the Shorewood Senior Resource Center and the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups.

Key to Awesomeness: Most of the junior writers said their love of writing was key to their success.

"I like being able to think of an idea and then put it down on paper," Jake said.

Arundhati said she loves writing fantasy because it gives you the ability to create your own little world.

"I mean you can do anything, even fly," Arundhati said.

However, Eli said writing is his second least favorite subject, but others have said he pretty good at it.

Maeve said she has always been really fond of writing because she likes thinking up an idea, then writing it all out.