Faith Wilkins wins youth writing award

WARWICK — Warwick Valley High School junior Faith Wilkins has been awarded a bronze medal in the 2012 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award competition in the category of “Best First Book by a Youth Author (under 18)” for her novel, “Wacko Academy.”

Faith’s book was published in April by Arundel Publishing.

The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to celebrate children’s books and life-long reading.

“This year’s Moonbeam award winners confirm that books can change children’s lives,” Moonbeam Awards founder Jerrold Jenkins, father of four children ranging in ages 9 to 19, said in the press release announcing the award. “They’ve already had a big impact on the judges and the kids that read them, so we know these books were created to enrich children’s lives. The Moonbeams are all about rewarding these books and bringing them to the attention of parents, booksellers, librarians – and to the kids themselves.”

Faith, 16 and who has been writing poetry and short stories from a very young age, said she was honored by the recognition.

“Part of the reason I wrote ‘Wacko Academy’ was to promote reading and diversity, Faith said in the press release announcing the award. “I’m very proud of both ‘Wacko Academy’ and ‘Camp Wacko: Drones Of Summer.’

“Wacko Academy” has been featured on television shows such as the CBS Sunday News and newspapers including the Times Herald-Record, Warwick Dispatch, Hudson Valley Journal and Harlem World Magazine.