Young Dearborn Authors Celebrated at Local Festival

Four young Dearborn area residents were recently celebrated for their skills in creative writing at a children's literature festival held on the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus.

The festival, "Henry's Dream: Young Authors Celebrate Henry Ford's 150th Birthday," included a writing contest in which children from grades three through six were asked to write about their dreams for the future. 

Of the 200 entries received, three winners were selected from each grade along with one grand prize winner. 

In the third grade category, the first, second and third place winners were Mohammed Bazzi, Mohammed Harp and Dana Jboor, all from Kinloch Elementary in Dearborn Heights.

The second place winner in the fifth grade category was Eden Kalaj-Rice, from Charles A. Lindbergh Elementary in Dearborn.

The winning students all received Barnes & Noble gift cards, and their entries were submitted for possible publication to the Michigan Reading Association’s “Kaleidoscope” magazine, the university reported.

Special presenters at the festival included Carol Hagen and Matt Faulkner, author and illustrator of the children’s book “The Night Henry Ford Met Santa.”

The grand prize winner, Anne-Marie Sab from St. John Vianney Catholic School in Flint, received an original illustration from Faulkner based on her essay.

A number of university departments and offices planned or sponsored the event: the College of Education, Health, and Human Services; the Office of Metropolitan Impact; the Alfred Berkowitz Gallery; the Barnes & Noble Campus Bookstore; and the Mardigian Library.

Click here to see the full list of winners.