Little Einstein

Our Payton is a SMART boy! He always brings home all A's on his report card (in fact, all 100s) and he is always being recognized in class by his teacher, Mrs. Ray, for his great work. She recently entered an essay he wrote in the Southern Arkansas University Youth Writing Festival and HE WON! He also came home from school the same week with an outstanding student award for his work in math. We are so proud of all of his achievements! It makes our hearts happy to know that he loves learning and loves school. He will no doubt go very far in whatever he chooses to do!

Here is some more information from the SAU website about the writing contest:

The Department of English and Foreign Languages of Southern Arkansas University hosted the annual Creative Writing Festival on Saturday, April 7, and several local students took home awards.

The Festival, which is held every spring, has grown from 345 entries in 1995 to more than 1,100 entries. Students from schools across south Arkansas submit poems, short stories, and creative non-fiction essays, which are then judged good, excellent or superior. Out of the entries judged superior, three are chosen in each category and grade level to receive special recognition consisting of a cash prize for first, second, and third place winners, and a trophy for the first place winners.

The annual festival was developed from a summer writing class for public school teachers taught by Dr. Kathleen Mallory, associate professor of English at SAU.  The event is co-sponsored by the Gerald F. and Betty Fincher Scott Academic Endowment, made available through the generosity of Harold and D.J. Fincher and Peoples Bank.

Elementary Creative Non-fiction: Gerald F. Scott Award

Payton “Austin” Willeford

Title: My Soccer Tournament

School: East Side Elementary, Magnolia

Teacher: Rachel Ray