Looking to promote literacy through active learning, PBS Kids Go! and WNED-TV Buffalo/Toronto are teaming up on the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest.

The national-local contest will encourage the advancement of reading skills for kids in Kindergarten to grade three, asking them to submit original stories and illustrations.

Starting January 27, 2010, PBS stations throughout the country will work with schools, public libraries and other literacy orgs to implement the contest. Kids will be encouraged to write and illustrate stories to submit to their local stations, which will select winners and award prizes. Local winners get bumped to the national level, where a renowned panel of judges will identify the national winners and dole out prizes that include laptops, digital cameras and MP3 players in summer 2010.

Additionally, a new website for the contest at www.pbskids.org/read is launching in early 2010 to house the winning stories in each of contest category as well as a searchable archive of winning stories.

The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest extends the tradition and success of the 15-year national Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, originally created by WNED-TV Buffalo/Toronto and NET Nebraska. It’s funded by a Ready To Learn grant from the US Department of Education, part of a cooperative agreement with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and The Ready To Learn Partnership.