You can be whatever you desire, no matter who you are.
That’s the message at the heart of “The Elephant Ballerina,” a book that made Cohutta, Ga., resident and WTCI Kids Club Member Hanna Grace Hammontree the winner of the nationwide PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest.
Thousands of kindergarten students from around the country submitted books.
“I wanted to write a story about a ballerina, and I didn’t want it to be boring, so I made it about an elephant,” Miss Hammontree said about the book as she clutched its red binding. Inside, an elephant named Lilly dreams of becoming a ballerina, but can’t find anyone to teach her, so she trains herself and then wins an animal talent contest.
“She saw tigers juggling, lions tight-rope walking and then it was her turn. Lilly went on the stage and was very nervous. Animals were giggling because they had never seen an elephant ballerina,” Hammontree wrote. She drew the pictures, too.
A judge’s panel that included Grammy Award nominated singer Jewel, acclaimed children’s author and illustrator Mo Willems and two-time Children’s Book Award author and illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka picked “The Elephant Ballerina” out of submissions from 63 participating stations across the country.
WTCI honored both Hammontree and her older sister Harmony in May for winning first place locally in the kindergarten and third grade categories.
“This annual event is one of the ways PBS Kids and our local stations help build children’s creativity and improve literacy skills in a fun and engaging way,” said Leslie Rotenberg, senior vice president of children’s media at PBS. National contest winners are awarded prizes, including tablets, e-readers and MP3 players, for their outstanding stories.
The Hammontree children are among over 800 students who shared their stories in the Tennessee Valley area and are WTCI Kids Club members. Melody and Allen Hammontree have enjoyed watching the spark of interest the contest ignited in their daughters. They report both girls now want to be authors and illustrators and have a greater interest in art and writing since the contest.
WTCI President and CEO Paul Grove beamed on the set of WRCB’s “Three Plus You” as the two stations surprised Hannah and Chattanooga with the announcement of her win. “WTCI’s role in the community is to inspire others to excel, and these young ladies are a perfect reflection of that goal. Seeing how the contest has sparked a flame of interest in these students is proof we are taking PBS back to families and education.”