Programs + Events

Literature

Accessible Arts Division (All Grades)

Lilyana De Anda
Title: Friendships
Grade: 8
Sussman Middle School PTA (Thirty-Third District PTA)
“Accepting imperfections means realizing that no friendship is ever going to be perfect no matter how much you want it to be. “
 

Primary Division (Pre-K-Grade 2)

Mei Watanabe
Title: How Sweetie Was Made Perfect
Grade: 1
Fletcher Elementary PTSA (Fourth District PTA)
“I like stories about queens, and that’s what I wrote. In my story, me and my queen friends show that you should accept imperfection. Don’t get upset about looking for perfection. Look instead for the right type of imperfection. That’s what’s REALLY perfect in the world. I learned a lot in the summer when reading kids’ books about imperfection and about wabi-sabi. I am part Japanese, and wabi-sabi is a Japanese idea about finding the beauty of imperfection. Read my story to know more, not this paragraph!“
 

Intermediate Division (Grades (3-5)

Riaan Kumar
Title: The Perfect Doggy World
Grade: 4
Hearst PTA (Peralta District PTA)
“The story touches upon the beauty of shelter dogs who despite their physical and behavioral challenges, fit in perfectly in their forever homes because of the unconditional love they offer their families. Families in turn find that these imperfections are what make their loving dogs perfect for them and their bond stronger. “

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)

Avni Anand
Title: Janaki and the Fairy of Imperfection OR Janaki and Im Perfecta
Grade: 6
Bowditch Middle School PTSA (Seventeeth District PTA)
“When I sat down to write this piece and was hunting for inspiration, the famous saying “Never judge a book by its cover” came to my mind. In this story, Janaki, our heroine, learns that believing is accepting imperfection, and that if you give somebody a second chance, they will come back and surprise you. Imperfect Janaki, who believes in the unknown in a realm of reality, finds that her imperfections actually make her the perfect person to carry out the teachings of Im Perfecta, a stern fairy who changes Janaki’s life. “

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

Evelyn Mulen Cano
Title: “”Las Grietas del Alma”/”The Cracks in Our Soul”
Grade: 12
Albany High PTSA (Peralta District PTA)
“My work explores the beauty of imperfection by reflecting on how our flaws, like the cracks in a tree or the scars on our soul, tell our most profound stories. Just as nature embraces its brokenness and grows from it, we too can learn to see our mistakes and struggles as the foundation of our strength. Through metaphor, I highlight that our imperfections are not something to hide, but something to celebrate, as they shape who we are.“