NEWPORT---Mackenzie Souder, daughter of Steve and Julie Souder, Newport, placed third in a writing contest, sponsored by East Tennessee Public Television recently. Mackenzie participated in the Reading Rainbow 14th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest.

Mackenzie, 7, wrote a 200-word story, "The Talking Pillow," and illustrated it with six drawings.

The contest was designed for students in grades K-3 with winners named for each grade level. Mackenzie's was one of many entries in the contest, which was open to over 250 schools in the television station's viewing area.

On Thursday, Randy Atkins, representing Knoxville PBS station Channel 2, visited Mackenzie's classroom at Newport Grammar School to present her award to her and to spend time with her classmates in Alexis Barrett's first-grade class.

Mackenzie received a framed certificate along with several other gifts, including three new books, a new backpack, passes to a Smokies baseball game, Ripley's Aquarium, and Regal Cinemas, free ice cream from Mayfield and Marble Slab, a meal from Buddy's BBQ, and a DVD, "How Much Is a Million Dollars?"

In addition to presenting Mackenzie her gifts, Atkins also brought presents from the television station for her classmates.

"A ton of kids entered the contest," said Atkins. Judges for the competition included a UT professor, an illustrator of children's books, a writer of children's books, and two representatives from the Knox County Library system. "Mackenzie's award shows that when you work really hard, you will be rewarded," Atkins told the class members.