June 23, 2004

Young author pens top state story

Third grader Emilee Geiger earns first place in Reading Rainbow contest

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
      Taking first place in a statewide writing and illustrating contest, Emilee Geiger will be in Mount Pleasant Friday to read her story on camera for future broadcast on PBS.
      Geiger's story, "The Story of Bandet: The Giant Panda," rated first among third grade students around the state as part of the Reading Rainbow 10th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. PBS television stations nationwide, which air the popular Reading Rainbow show, hold the contest annually for students in grades K-3.
      Geiger learned of her first-place finish in April, while on vacation in California with her family. State winners for each grade go on to national competition with children from other states.
      Friday, Geiger will meet the first and second place winners from each grade and enjoy a bowling and pizza party with them. She will then be taped reading the story at the studios of WCMU, the PBS station in Mount Pleasant.
      "This is my favorite story that I wrote," said Geiger, who began homeschooling last fall. "I was really happy to win."
      Geiger learned of the contest from staff at the Traverse Area District Library. The contest was nearly over and she had about a week to complete her story before the February deadline.
      Already a prolific writer for her age, Geiger quickly penned the 350-word story and drew the accompanying images with colored pencils. Within three days, she had a completed eight-page story, which her mother quickly mailed off.
      "She was rushed writing this, but we got it out to Mount Pleasant in time," said Andrea Geiger, Emilee's mother. "She was rushed with her pictures, she's a pretty good artist."
      Geiger enjoys writing, especially about animal subjects. She based the main character, Bandet, on her own favored stuffed panda.
      Once Geiger has an idea, she thinks about it for a while, letting the story form in her mind. The latest idea is a story about a girl and her dog who go up and clean the stars. Another involves a girl and a kitten she saves.
      The challenge then is expressing her concepts and images in words and drawings on paper.
      "The hard part is thinking of the words to write it," said Emilee Geiger, of the many story ideas she creates. "I like to write on my own and I've been thinking of other stories to write."