INFORMATION RELEASE

Media Contact: Heather O'Connell

(239) 461-2924 or hoconnell@leegov.com

Bookmark Contest Winners Announced

Fort Myers, FLA., November 2, 2007 – See the work of some of the area’s young artists, at your library. Hundreds of children participated in the annual “Design a Bookmark” contest at the Lee County Library System. Their entries will be on display at Lee County Library System locations during Children’s Book Week, November 12 – 17.

Each year, the library invites local 3-5 graders to create bookmarks with a theme about reading. This year’s theme, “Rise Up Reading!” inspired a wide variety of ideas, according to Lee County Library System Community Relations Coordinator, Heather O’Connell.

“We received hundreds of bookmarks that represented the heights reading takes young people. Some of the winning artists expressed this through towering giraffes, soaring airplanes, balloons and books with wings,” O’Connell said.

Judges selected one winning design from each location. Those designs can be viewed on the Lee County Library System website: www.lee-county.com/library

Each of the winning artists will receive a supply of his or her bookmarks to share with friends, family and classmates, as well as a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble at a special reception in the store Friday, November 16 at 6:30 p.m.

The reception also raises funds for the Southwest Florida Reading Festival. Shoppers can request special vouchers to have a portion of their purchase prices for that evening donated to the event. Vouchers will also be available at all Lee County Library System locations prior to the event.

This year’s Design a Bookmark Contest winners are:

Boca Grande Reference Room	View Bookmark (PDF)
Clara Marra
3^rd grade, The Island School
Bonita Springs Public Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Monica Stauffer
4^th grade, Bonita Springs Elementary
Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Tyler McKibben
3^rd grade, Trafalger Elementary
Captiva Memorial Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Genevieve Horton
5^th grade, Sanibel School
Dunbar-Jupiter Hammon Public Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Ladarious Preston
5^th grade, Lee Charter Academy
East County Regional Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Dalyce Farnan
3^rd grade, Veterans Park Elementary
Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Jordan Wheeler
5^th grade, St. Francis Xavier School
Lakes Regional Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Grace Keating
5^th grade, St. Francis Xavier School
North Fort Myers Public Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Tyler Bastin
5^th grade, Tropic Isles Elementary
Pine Island Public Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Omar Gutierrez
5^th grade, Pine Island Elementary
Riverdale Branch Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Bailey Joray
5^th grade, Homeschooled
South County Regional Library	View Bookmark (PDF)
Jennifer Gravitt
5^th grade, Pinewoods Elementary

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