It’s not too often I meet a 3rd grader with their very own blog, and who has had a story written about her in the ISTE Learning and Leading with Technology Journal. Well, let me introduce you to Meridan Boyd, 8 years old and attends Van Meter Community School in Iowa. I had the pleasure of Skyping with her class and talking to her, thanks to her district teacher librarian and technology integration specialist, Shannon McClintock Miller. Last year she was a finalist in my Be-a-Famous Writer contest for a beautiful story called The Horse Indeanna.
Meridan has a real passion for technology and writing and even has a favorite library, the Urbandale Public Library, located in Urbandale, Iowa. She was sure to let me know that she visited the library and picked up their summer reading program information., so she could keep up with her reading over the summer.
Enjoy this Q&A and be sure to read the links to the Learning and Leading with Technology story and the book she created. I know you will be as impressed as I was.
1) How do you think the Mrs. P Writing Contest impacted you? I didn’t know if I would win or lose. Either way, I just felt like a good writer for being able to participate in such a great contest. I liked sharing my story with others. It was neat how famous people like Julia Roberts was a judge and read my story!
2) Did participating in the Mrs. P Writing Contest encourage you to enter other contests or to develop other writing? Yes, even though I didn’t win, being recognized as a finalist made me feel like other people liked my writing, so I wanted to keep going with it. A few things I’ve done since the contest:
- Wrote stories and poems for school. (I even wrote a poem about a leprechaun for Poem in Your Pocket Day!)
- Wrote stories, using Storybird, and posted them on my blog.
- Entered the Dallas County Reading Council Creative Writing Contest, where I won 1st place for a creative writing story. (Meridan was awarded a certificate, a medal, and gift certificate to Barnes and Nobles Bookstore. She read her story at a Young Author’s Reception which was hosted by local personality Dan Wardell. – read all about it)
- Entered the Capstone Comic Superhero Contest. (Meridan wrote about her librarian, Mrs. Miller, but didn’t win.)
- Wrote a story and developed it into a book with my sister, who illustrated it, and a friend who was our creative consultant. ( Download Loshlings to read this story about a group of friends who get transported into a videogame they are playing)
3) Has anything else occurred you’d like to share?
- Featured demonstrating software and tools for; MackinVia, Rosen Publishing and StarWalk Media
- Written about in a magazine (Learning and Leading with Technology - June/July Issue) –
- Presented at the Iowa 1:1 Institute
- Founding member of the Technical Difficulties Club and Mindcraft Club at school.
- Working with Mrs. Miller to bring coding to our school.
4) What do you think you learned from the Mrs. P Writing Contest experience? I learned that you didn’t have to win to feel good. It was a great learning experience and provided me the motivation to continue to use my imagination to write and create.
5) What would you like others to know about the contest? It is fun! It’s full of suspense and excitement! There are really great prizes if you win or are a finalist.
6) What do you look forward to about entering the Mrs. P Writing Contest again?
The chance to try to win and have my story made into a book! Knowing that famous people may look at my story. If I don’t win, just getting more feedback and learning how to get better.
7) What would you like Mrs. P and others to know about you?
I’m a fun and creative person. I’m full of ideas and I’ll never stop writing!
8) How did you spend your summer?
Spent time with my friends, posted on my blog, went to Alaska on a cruise ship and kayaked with the orcas.
Next week will be the final week of my Where are They Now? series. Caitlin Casady will be my last interview before the contest opens!
Be sure to bookmark my contest site for your classroom. And if you are a parent, please let your child’s teacher know about the contest. The contest opens September 1st for entries. And a special thanks to my sponsors too. BuyerTopia, Tales2Go, Powell’s Books & Polka Dots Publishing and Penelope the Purple Pirate and myOn Reader. They are making sure the schools win all year long with their great prizes!
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