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
