Laurence Manning fifth graders win 2025 S.C. Children’s Book Challenge
Manning, SC – A book written and illustrated by four fifth-grade students at Laurence Manning Academy has been selected as one of the statewide winners of the 2025 Children’s Book Challenge. Sadie Gamble, Ellafair DuRant, Railyn Joyner and Kayden Crisanti, creators of Uncle Phil and the Electric Adventure, were revealed as the winners of the competition’s group division at the conclusion of the school’s weekly chapel session on Wednesday.
The Children’s Book Challenge is sponsored by Black River Electric Cooperative and the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina. Participating students from across the state were asked to write and illustrate a children’s book that focused on staying safe around electricity. Uncle Phil and the Electric Adventure competed against books from across South Carolina after being selected by Black River Electric as the local finalist.
“We’re excited, but not surprised, that the judges were impressed with both the story and illustrations that Sadie, Ellafair, Railyn and Kayden created for their book,” says Stephanie Floyd, of Black River Electric. “We hope they learned a lot and had a lot of fun participating in this contest.”
The four students split a $500 prize, and their book will be printed and mailed to elementary schools throughout South Carolina. Laurence Manning Academy librarian Rebekka Taylor let the students know about the competition and helped them get started. She received a $250 prize.
“This was a way that our kids could be creative and put pencil to paper,” says Taylor. “They learned all kinds of different things, about being a writer and working as a team, as well as the art concepts. Our teachers have come to me and said that their writing has improved since we started this.”
Uncle Phil and the Electric Adventure tells the story of a family trip to “New Pork” to visit their Uncle Phil, an electric lineman with Black River Electric. Uncle Phil teaches them about how electricity works and how to stay safe. He also takes them to see “The Statue of Pigerty.”
“We created the pig statue because we wanted to include something fun to help kids learn about electricity,” says Kayden Crisanti.
“We’re all different personalities but we worked together, and it ended up being a great book,” says Railyn Joyner. “I learned that if you always try your best, you’ll get something good out of it.”
South Carolina’s electric cooperatives have been committed to powering rural communities since 1938. This concern for communities, and the future of our youth, has carried forward to today. By inspiring students to learn more about energy in our state, S.C.’s electric co-ops hope to spark a passion for critical thinking in the minds of tomorrow’s leaders.
The South Carolina Children’s Book Challenge is cross-curricular project focused on energy education that also correlates to many South Carolina state education standards. The program is sponsored by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives. Fourth and fifth-grade students in South Carolina are invited to write and illustrate a children’s book about our electric cooperatives. Winning entries will be awarded cash prizes as well as an opportunity to have their books published. For more information, visit enlightensc.org/book.