2019 Winning Entries for the 4th Annual "Just So" Stories Kipling Awards

The winners of the 4th Annual Kipling Awards were announced today at a ceremony at the Latchis Theatre in Downtown Brattleboro, Vermont. Susan McMahon, Executive Director of the Naulakha property of the Landmark Trust, USA,  welcomed the crowd of over 50 parents and students and explained the educational mission of the Landmark Trust.

British novelist and Nobel Prize winner Rudyard Kipling built and  resided at Naulakha with his family from 1892-1896. Kipling wrote  The Just So Stories, Captains Courageous, The Jungle Book, The Day's Work, and The Seven Seas at this house.

Vincent Panella, spokesperson for the six judges, encouraged the students to continue writing:

Writing is an expression of both logic and the imagination. You can write just for yourself, which is a great way to clarify what you’re thinking; but you can also write for a reader, and if you do that – as in this Kipling exercise -  then in a way the writing isn’t yours, and the trick is to bring the reader along on your journey. [Read his full remarks here.]

Sylvia North of the Academy School in Brattleboro was the winner of the Grand Prize, for her story, How the Ladybug Got Her Spots. 

The Grand Prize is a one night stay at Naulakha  for her and her family.

The Second Prize went to Lee Parker of Saxtons River School ( Loretta Rose, teacher) for his story, How the Skunk Got Its Stink,  which is a stay in the Naulakha Carriage House.

The following students were finalists in the contest. Please follow the links to read their entries:

• Leila Mozaffari Saxtons River School
• Bryce Nutting         NewBrook Elementary School
• Lauren Chute                 Putney Central School
• Lizzie Elkins                 Academy School
• Renee Arnini                 Academy School
• Annika Dunbar Saxtons River School
• Sydneygrace Lescord Saxtons River School
• Liam Domanski           NewBrook Elementary  School
• Avery Buchanan-Cherry Putney Central School
• Adrianna Sidelinger Putney Central School
• Nathaniel Frantz-Holmes Oak Grove Elementary School
• Grace Hayes Saxtons River School
• Luna Lillie Saxtons River School
• Bela Vanni-Phillips    NewBrook Elementary School
• Elizabeth Valente Academy School
• Juliette Pals Putney Central School

Introductory comments to the 2018 Kipling Awards, by Tim Weed, Kipling Awards Judge, 2016-2018

Let me start by reading three quotes from Rudyard Kipling:

• Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.
• If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.
• Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful!' and sitting in the shade.

2018 Kipling Award Grand Prize Winner-Kate LeVine, Halifax Elementary School, Loren Clews-Teacher

How The Alpine Ibex Got Its Horns

In a time and place long ago, Dearest Darling, there once lived Alpine Ibex. Alpine Ibex was the only one on the mountain without the horns that are gifted to the strongest of males. To cope with his saddening sadness, he made himself feel better by boasting and bickering.

2018 Kipling Award Fiction Winner-Desmond Grace, Academy School, Andrew Speno, Teacher

How the Sloth Got So Slow

A long time ago my best beloved, there was a sloth. This sloth was ruler of all the jungle. All the animals bowed down to this almighty sloth and nobody argued with him. The almighty sloth could order all the animals around like ants tending to their queen. For instants, the almighty sloth could order the monkey's to get him fruit from the trees or the pelican to get him water from the ocean. Oh my best beloved, the almighty sloth never got out of his throne. If it rained the giraffes would have to hold palm leaves above him. if it was quite hot the almighty sloth would order the elephants to spray him with cold water.

2018 Kipling Award Poetry Winner-Kaley Reckell, Dover Elementary School, Bridget Cole: Teacher

Everybody Else   

     

Everybody else is watching

Others are scared to make progress

In fear that they will be judged,

Some don't get involved with the process.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Beatrice Johnson, Academy School, Andrew Speno, Teacher

How thePeacock Got His Feathers

One day oh my best beloved, in African Rain Forest there lived a peacock named Nate. Back then the world was just new again like a new flower in the ground. All the animals were making changes the toucan got his beak, the elephant got her trunk. Even far away there were changes from moose to penguin and even fish. Nate was a nervous little bird, but very smart. He always tries to do good. When his parents said go get berries for dinner he did. When his friend Ella the elephant drops her fruit he would pick it up. One of his worst features was the color of his feathers oh my best beloved was a brown yucky color.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Maeve Bald, Academy School, Kate Rabideau, Teacher

How The Whale Got Its Tail

In the islands and water that nobody knew there was a whale,and on that particular day a whale swam by. Then the stingray said “that little stub is so ugly.”

“Is not”protested the whale. Then the fish swam by “Brook cant help it “said the fish.

“But it's so sooooooooo ugly. said the stingray  “well the don't look at it”said the fish “fine”said the stingray so the stingray swarm of.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist:Ella Baldacchino, Academy School, Kate Rabideau, Teacher

How The Cat Got Her Fur

Once upon a time deep in the woods of Pinefield Vermont there was a Cat named Enola . Enola the Cat, was what everyone called her. Enola the Cat was a shy cat, she was never bothered. One day Poppy the Deer, came up to Enola the Cat. Enola the Cat, she was very jumpy. “Hello.”said Enola the Cat, very quietly. “How are you, Enola the Cat?”said Poppy the Deer. “Good.”said Enola the Cat, very shyly. “well this was a good talk. “I BETTER BE GOING!”yelled Poppy the Deer. Poppy the Deer looked beyond the trees.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Edward James Oakley, Dover Elementary School,Bridget Cole, Teacher

A Slave's Life

My name is Otu which means the one in Igbo. I live on a plantation in Texas. I was born a slave, I was taken away from my parents at three. And the white men put me to labor farming, cutting wood, and digging wells. Then my master died and his son took the slaves over and the plantation. But I don't plan on staying long So the next night when the big house lights went off I waited an hour for everybody to fall asleep. Then I slipped out of bed and went outside and ran to the woods and didn't stop running till I didn't know where I was going. So, I looked at a tree for moss until I found one. I learned from my pa that moss usually grows on the north side of the tree. Then I started going north.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist:Bryanna Finnell, Guilford Central School, Jennifer Kramer, Teacher

How The Ermine Learned to Fish

 Long ago, even before you or I were here, an ermine family walked through a beautiful forest. Their names were Momma, Alister, and Dad. Alister was the youngest of the forest. Now, Alister didn't really listen all the time. He never experienced a punishment for his behaviors because no one ever knew. But enough about Alister. This beautiful wood they were walking in was greener than any other forest. Clear waters ran through while spring flowers dropped from the trees. A flower landed on the little one’s head.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist:Isabella May, Oak Grove Elementary School, Erek Tuma, Teacher

How the Rabbit Got its Twitchy Nose By 

 Long ago, when the world was very new and rabbits had still (not twitchy) noses there was a rabbit named Daisy. Daisy and her family and relations and best friends, friends, and acquaintances, lived in a beautiful green valley in the Swiss Alps, where no rabbit ever left. Daisy and her parents and her sisters (Daffodil, Daphne, Dandelion, Dahlia, and Diana) lived a happy life in their burrow in the beautiful green valley, with the white topped mountains in the distance.