For four years, Stockton Elementary School fifth grader Masha Samokhvalova has been submitting essays about varying topics to Creative Communication for a nationwide essay contest. For four years, Samokhvalova has had her work published with the group.
However, this past year was Samokhvalova’s crowning achievement. Her essay, “The Beautiful Sunrise over Atlantic Ocean,” was selected for the top 10 in her age group.
According to her father, Samokhvalova, Masha’s essay was selected among thousands of entries for the third- through sixth-grade group.
Samokhvalova wrote her essay after being inspired while on a family trip to the Jersey Shore.
“What persuaded me to write this essay was my fantastic trip to Wildwood and the romantic and breathtaking sunrise over the ocean that I will never forget,” she said.
Creative Communication is a group based out of Smithfield, Utah, that sponsors an art, essay and poetry contest for students from grades three through 12 across the United States and Canada. The top selections are put into an anthology each year.
For being selected in the top 10 in 2013, Masha received a free copy of the anthology and a $25 check.
Masha has entered the Creative Communication’s contest for a few years now, competing in all three categories.
“In third grade, I entered the art contest,” she said. “Then the next year I entered the essay and poetry contest. Then this year I entered my essay ‘The Beautiful Sunrise over Atlantic Ocean,’ and I got the top 10 prize.”
Masha is extremely passionate about writing. Many of her works are motivated by experiences from her life.
“Most of all, I like to do personal narratives because I like to express my feelings,” Masha said.
“She can really express herself by describing memories and her experiences,” Alexander said.
The Creative Communication contest award is not the only one Masha has received.
In first grade, she received the Presidential Physical Fitness award, which included a gold medal and a certificate from President Barack Obama.
Alexander said his daughter is also very successful in school. She won first prize in a regional science fair at the M. Allen Vogelson Library last spring and hopes to follow her parents’ footsteps in becoming a biochemistry professor.
Alexander and his wife, Olga, are extremely proud of the success Masha has had.
“We do our best to help our daughter achieve success,” Alexander said. “She is our pride and joy.”
Masha is already getting her essay ready for the 2014 Creative Communication essay contest. She is preparing an essay that encourages people to stop polluting. Masha got the idea while visiting a local park recently.
“In the park, there was a little bird,” she said. “One of the ducks died because it had a fishing rope around its neck. So I want to persuade people to clean up their trash.”
Winning awards and having her work published is something Masha is proud of, but she also sees herself as a role model. She hopes other people can read her writing and be motivated to make a difference in the world.
