Earlier this year, Storyworks magazine launched a national contest for students in grades 2-8 who had read the short graphic fiction story “Nat Good Enough,” which was inspired by Maria Scrivan’s graphic novel series Nat Enough. The short story follows the journey of Nat, a character who learns about self-confidence and overcoming doubts. The Storyworks contest was designed to help students reflect on their feelings and develop their writing skills.
Out of 43 students who entered the contest, five were selected as winners. One of them was Aubrey Pacher, a student from Cambridge Central School in New York, whose submission and honest reflection caught the judges’ attention. She won a copy of “Nat for Nothing” and a certificate. Additionally, Aubrey’s sincere self-examination was noticed by News 10 ABC. Aubrey described her insecurities surrounding clothing and how this exercise helped her improve those feelings. Watch this video to learn more about Aubrey’s story: Cambridge student wins graphic novel contest on insecurities.
To submit an entry, students around the country were encouraged to create their own comics of how they confront ‘doubt gremlins’ and to share advice on how they would do so. Students were judged on a clearly stated main idea, effective use of text details, good organization, and grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Aimee Smith, a 4th-grade teacher at Cambridge Central School said: “We all have doubts and insecurities, and I think certainly students maybe don’t believe in themselves or see the beauty in their individuality."
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Literacy helps children build knowledge, solve problems, and connect with the world around them. Research shows that stories are a powerful mechanism for building resilience and helping young people develop empathy and cultivate emotional intelligence (Scholastic Reading for Life).
Congratulations to Aubrey Pacher and all of the participants who shared their stories!
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