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January 9, 2008

KLRU contest encourages kids to write and illustrate books

Austin, TX -- KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, invites kindergarten through third graders to write and illustrate original storybooks and enter them in the 14th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest. The contest deadline is March 17.

Sponsored by the award-winning PBS television series Reading Rainbow, the contest attracts more than 150 entries locally and more than 40,000 entries nationally each year. KLRU and more than 100 other PBS stations nationwide offer the contest. Kindergarten through third graders enter by creating an original story with illustrations and submitting it with an official entry form to KLRU. Rules and entry forms for the Young Writers & Illustrators Contest are available at klru.org/readingrainbow. Previous year’s winners are also available on the site to serve as inspiration for this year’s contest.

Airing Monday to Friday at 2:30 p.m. on KLRU (broadcast channel 18, cable 9), Reading Rainbow builds lasting friendships between children and books. The contest builds on the program’s mission to encourage a child’s love of books and reading.

Every child who enters the contest receives a special Certificate of Achievement. Local winners receive additional prizes and first place winners advance to the national competition.

National prizes are awarded to three winning stories in each grade. In 2008, national prizes will include a laptop computer (Grand Prize), flat panel TV with DVD player (2nd place), and MP3 player (3rd place). Each national winner also receives three Reading Rainbow library sets (5 DVDs and books) for his or her home, school and library. In addition, national award winning stories are featured on pbskids.org, one of the most-visited national Web sites for children.

Now in its 25th season on PBS, Reading Rainbow has garnered more than 250 awards, including 26 Emmys (ten for “Outstanding Children’s Series”), a prestigious Peabody, nine CINE Golden Eagles, nine Parent’s Choice Awards, and six international Prix Jeunesse Awards.

Reading Rainbow is a registered trademark of WNED-TV, Buffalo and is co-produced by WNED-TV, Buffalo and Smarterville Productions LLC. Support for Reading Rainbow has been provided by Country Inns & Suites and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.

About KLRU

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, reflects, celebrates and inspires Central Texas through creative excellence,
community engagement and lifelong learning. Although primarily a television station providing locally produced and quality national programming, KLRU is also a non-profit organization helping to build a stronger community through educational workshops, community outreach projects and public events. Get more information about KLRU at klru.org.

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