We are thrilled to invite you to support the Byrd & Blom Storytelling Contest, an initiative designed to ignite the imaginations of Ohio students in grades 3rd -5th and offer one lucky child the opportunity to have their story turned into an animated short film.

Why is this contest important?

Reading and writing go hand in hand, and if one is lacking, so is the other.

According to the Ohio Department of Education Literacy Report, only 62.3% of third-grade students and 58.9% of fourth-grade students scored proficient or higher on the respective state English language arts tests in 2022-2023. This equates to roughly 40,000+ students falling short.

Additional studies show that students who are not reading at proficient levels by the end of third grade are more likely to struggle throughout their school years, which in turn leads to higher dropout rates and fewer students being college and career-ready.

Despite efforts to improve educational outcomes, a significant portion of students still struggle with reading comprehension which not only hampers academic achievement but also limits future opportunities for these children.

By supporting the Byrd & Blom Storytelling Contest, you can make a tangible impact on childhood literacy and provide a platform for their voices to be heard. While we aim to provide a fun storytelling contest, the real focus is on improving literacy rates across Ohio.

Thank you in advance for your support in championing literacy and imagination.

Here is what your donation supports:

Animation for the winning story
Judges fee
Movie premiere party

Who Are We?

Byrd & Blom Storytelling contest

By Tracy Blom

Byrd & Blom Storytelling contest

Storytelling Contest for Kids