Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

Ione Elementary School fourth-grade = teacher=20 Kristi Smith and Morgan Russell, one of her students, are both = thrilled=20 that Morgan's story, "Cosmo, the Smallest Ear," has been named a=20 region-wide winner of the California Foundation for Agriculture in = the=20 Classroom in the foundation's "Imagine this ..." story writing=20 contest.

Photo by: Bethany A.=20 Monk
Cosmo wasn't meant to be a big guy, = and for a=20 while this irked him. The California sun, however, began to shine = "brighter than=20 ever on the field of corn," and he began to grow.

"Cosmo, the = Smallest=20 Ear," a story about a small ear of corn who wants to grow big enough to = be=20 chosen for the upcoming Thanksgiving feast, was written by Ione = Elementary=20 School fourth-grader Morgan Russell. Recently, the California Foundation = for=20 Agriculture in the Classroom recognized Russell as a region-wide winner = in its=20 annual "Imagine this ..." story writing contest. Russell's teacher, = Kristi=20 Smith, entered the story, along with others from her class, in the = contest last=20 month.

"From more than 10,000 essays written by (third to = eighth) grade=20 students across the state, Morgan Russell was selected for her = creativity,=20 writing skills, and positive interpretation of California agriculture in = her=20 story Cosmo, the Smallest Ear ... ," states a press release from the = foundation.=20 "Kristi Smith is one of hundreds of California teachers who participate = in this=20 annual contest by assigning their students the task of researching an = aspect of=20 the agriculture industry, and challenge them to incorporate these facts = into=20 their own creative story."

In an interview with the Ledger = Dispatch=20 Friday, Russell said she based her story on her favorite vegetable. In = her=20 story, a farmer and his daughter, Maria, begin searching "up and down = the rows=20 of corn choosing only the most appealing ears for the feast." The farmer = chooses=20 the biggest ears, while Maria chooses Cosmo, who, even with the sun = shining on=20 him the past few weeks, was still the smallest.

"After that, she = (Maria)=20 always picks the smallest ear of corn," during Thanksgiving, Russell = said,=20 adding that she learned a lot during the essay's research process. She = found out=20 that an ear of corn has about 800 kernels and that most stalks grow to = be 10 to=20 12 feet tall. "It takes a couple of weeks for them to be fully=20 grown."

Learning via research is a major aspect of the essay = contest's=20 purpose, said Stephanie Etcheverria, CFAITC program coordinator, whose = office is=20 in Sacramento. "They can pick an agricultural commodity and research it. = They=20 learn about agriculture. They learn about the benefits of fruits and=20 vegetables."

The foundation's mission, in fact, is "to increase = awareness=20 and understanding of agriculture among California's educators and = students,"=20 according to its Web site. "Our vision is an appreciation of agriculture = by=20 all"; CFAITC works with kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers and = students to=20 help enhance education using agricultural examples.

Each year, = the=20 foundation holds a writing contest open to third- through eighth-grade = students.=20 Winners of the region-wide contest are eligible for the foundation's = statewide=20 essay contest. Statewide winners get to have their stories published in = an=20 illustrated book, which will be given to schools, libraries and = classroom across=20 California.

Smith, who has taught at Ione Elementary for three = years,=20 said she has always had high hopes for Russell's story. She wove the=20 foundation's essay into her curriculum as a research and writing = assignment, and=20 entered some of them in the contest.

Tony Wight, the school's = principal=20 said the school is happy Russell is receiving recognition for her work. = He said=20 she's a great student "who takes school very seriously."

There = are a lot=20 of good writers at the school, Wight said, adding that students at Ione=20 Elementary have won contests at the regional and statewide level in the = past.=20

Russell said she was both excited and surprised she found out = she won=20 the regional competition. The week the essay was due was pretty = stressful, she=20 said. Russell was running for student council and going to choir = practices, all=20 the while getting her story together for submission. She was able to do = all the=20 research at school, but because she wanted to type the final draft, she = needed=20 to use her computer at home. Her mom, Stella, helped her type it up, she = said,=20 adding "because I type sort of slow."

Stella, who said her = daughter=20 really enjoys school, said she was really excited to hear about the win. = Statewide winners will be announced Jan. 1.

"If I win at the = state level,=20 I just don't know what I'll do," Russell said. "I'll have to buy a new = dress or=20 something."

The fourth-grader said she wants to be a marine = biologist or=20 oceanographer when she grows up. Reading, she said, is her favorite = subject in=20 school.

For more information about the foundation and its annual = essay=20 contest, visit www.cfaitc.org.

Bethany A. = Monk