Owen Bernstein, a seventh-grader at Eastside Catholic Middle School in Sammamish, is a state champion in Washington’s Letters About Literature contest for students in grades 7-8. The literary competition, sponsored by the Washington State Library and the Library of Congress, encourages students to write letters to their favorite authors, past or present. Owen’s letter is to Orson Scott Card about his book Pastwatch.

Secretary of State Kim Wyman and the State Library will recognize Owen and other winners during an awards ceremony in the Columbia Room (first floor of the Legislative Building) at 1:30 p.m. May (?).

Owen’s letter, along with the letters of two other state champions, have been sent to the Library of Congress for the national competition. Winners will be announced in late April or early May.

More than 125 schools from around the state had entries. The contest ran from September to January.