Kalli McCullum, a fifth-grade student at Nye Elementary School, has achieved a remarkable accomplishment: her scary short story was selected as a winner in a national writing competition sponsored by NewsELA, beating out student submissions from across the country. Her creative work is now published on the NewsELA platform, where students nationwide can read and enjoy her writing.
The win is a testament not only to Kalli's talent and creativity, but also to the strong literacy foundation being built at San Diego Unified's Nye Elementary. Under the guidance of her teacher, Kelly Lynch, Kalli has developed her voice as an author and learned to craft compelling narratives that captivate readers.
Read Kalli's award-winning short story here and check out the Q&A below to learn more about Kalli.
Kalli McCullum, a fifth-grade student at Nye Elementary School, holds her award-winning scary short story that won a national writing competition sponsored by NewsELA.
Q: Congratulations on your win! How did you feel when you found out your story was selected as a national winner?
Kalli: When I walked into the room and sat down, I was shocked and happy when Ms. Lynch announced to the entire class about how I had won the contest for my grade level.
Q: What inspired you to write a scary story? Do you enjoy reading scary books or watching spooky movies?
Kalli: I have wanted to become an author for a while. I also do enjoy reading/watching scary things because of the suspense and plot twists.
Q: What was the hardest part about writing your story? What was the most fun part?
Kalli: The hardest part about writing my story would probably be choosing what to write about. The most fun part was writing the descriptive words.
Q: How did your teacher, Ms. Lynch, help you develop your writing skills? What's the most important thing she's taught you about being a writer?
Kalli: Ms. Lynch helped me use more descriptive and higher vocabulary words in my writing, so that it sounded better. The most important thing she taught me is to make my writing sound real and to be confident while writing.
Q: What advice would you give to other students who want to enter writing competitions or improve their writing?
Kalli: Some advice that I would give them is to try their best and make it sound as real and confident as you can.
Q: What's your favorite book or author? Has any particular book or story influenced your own writing?
Kalli: I've always liked "The Magic Tree House" series by Mary Pope Osborne and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney. No book inspired my writing, I just came up with it on my own.
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up? Do you think writing will be part of your future?
Kalli: Lately, I've been interested in looking at the stars, identifying them, and noticing things about them. So, maybe I want to become an astronomer when I grow up. I think writing will be a part of my future since writing is a very important skill to have in life.