Meet the 12 x 12 2021 Scholarship Winners!

Happy New Year! While we are ALL happy to have the fresh start of this particular new year, at 12 x 12 we were doubly excited because we get to congratulate and welcome our 2021 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge Scholarship winners!

The 12 x 12 Scholarship Fund started in 2014, when the 12 x 12 community generously donated funds to provide four scholarships in two categories — Diversity and Financial Need — for pre-published picture book authors. Since 2016, our members have donated enough money to fund SIX scholarships per year! The purpose behind these scholarships is to cultivate underrepresented voices in children’s picture books and to provide an opportunity for dedicated writers to join 12 x 12 who might not otherwise be able to. You can find out more details about the 12 x 12 Scholarship Fund on our Scholarship Page.

It is with great pleasure, and sincere thanks to the 12 x 12 community, that we announce the 2021 scholarship recipients.

Diversity Scholarship Recipients

Jack Wong was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver. In 2010, he left behind a former life as a bridge engineer to pursue his Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and art history at NSCAD University (Halifax, Canada), where he continues to live with his wife and two cats, and work as a freelance illustrator. A self-declared actual Jack-of-all-trades, he has also tried his hand at art instruction, bookkeeping, cognitive science research, and running his own bicycle repair shop, just to name a few—a proper education for creating children’s books!

Writing and illustrating for children is Jack’s passion. His stories are indelibly marked by a first generation Asian-Canadian experience, transposed upon the small-city living, natural beauty, and deeply rooted yarn-spinning traditions of the Maritime east coast. He seeks to share all of this with young readers, so that they may be encouraged to embrace the unique amalgam of experiences that make up their own lives.

Jack says, “I believe that children deserve our very best attempts at showing them the world as we know it. Whenever I reflect on this mandate, I find within it the courage to offer up my own experiences and perspectives just as they are, shortcomings and all. In turn, I find myself enriched by creating for young readers, because—as countless writers before me have expressed—we all write to be heard, and in their own ways, children are the best listeners (and certainly the best remember-ers!)”

Leah Schanke is the 2019 Marvelous Midwest Scholarship Winner, recipient of a full scholarship from KidLit Nation to attend the SCBWI Midwest Conference. Leah has volunteered to score and critique submissions in the children’s book category for the PNWA Contest for Unpublished Work in both 2019 and 2020, where she was a finalist twice in prior years. Her picture book biography of a Harlem Renaissance poet was a winner in the 2017 KidLit College Picture Book Contest. In addition to being a member of The Authors Guild, she is an associate member of SCBWI. Leah can be found online at LeahSchanke.com and on Twitter at @LeahSchanke.

Leah says: “With an interest in U.S. history and particularly stories of social justice, I am inspired by my multicultural heritage to write historical fiction books for children. Long-term, my goal is creating children’s books that move and educate the reader about little-known but significant figures and events in U.S. history.”

Nicole Ochoa dreamed of becoming a writer since the age of eleven, when she wrote “Montezuma’s Doom” for her classroom play. A Latina, born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Nicole concluded her undergraduate degree with a stint at CNN in Washington, D.C., and worked as a freelance writer for various publications. She was a Communications Director at the Texas State Capitol and production assistant for local television media before teaching in the elementary school classroom. She never stopped jotting down short stories, ideas for stories, and she found joy performing children’s books at a local theatre.

Nicole is a member of SCBWI, a former student of The Writing Barn under the mentorship of Author and Creative Director, Bethany Hegedus, and is the mother of two young children who welcome her into the world of imagination each day.

The interconnection between nature and humanity speaks to the heart of this writer as she hopes to inspire every child; particularly the minority child, who doesn’t always know what tomorrow looks like, but whose dreams are not forgotten and for whom tomorrow is filled with limitless possibilities.

Nicole says, “Childhood is the untethered expression of the human experience. It’s part of the root that guides us on this miraculous journey called life. As a minority when I look into the natural world, I see a similar reflection, one that speaks to the ideals of freedom, compassion and love but is too often compromised and overlooked. I hope my stories will form the root, to hug and hold a child, so that like a ripple of water, we can see ourselves again in nature and in each other. ”

Financial Need Scholarship Recipients

A traveler from the beginning, Jennifer Concepcion McLennan was born in Haiti and raised in Northern Canada. She completed a BA in International Relations in 2008 and immediately jumped on a plane. Her global adventuring landed her in Costa Rica, where she now lives with her partner and their three children. The year 2020 brought a mixed bag of challenges and accomplishments for Jennifer – the greatest of both being the completion of a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education. Jennifer teaches in the land of dinosaurs, unicorns, and infinite glitter (aka Kindergarten) at a bilingual school on the Pacific Coast. A proud member of the SCBWI and the Sassy Scribblers critique group, Jennifer’s happy place is riding the current of creative flow – trying to get her characters just right on the page.

Jennifer says, “Growing up, my mother worked at the public library. That building was my second home, and the books? Well, they were my friends. They brought me around the globe until I was old enough to visit far off places myself. Pretty much as soon as I could read stories, I began to write them. I never stopped: travelling as a young adult I met kids in many countries, heard their stories and wrote them down. Now as a Mom and teacher the inspiration is endless! I believe that words have the power to create worlds; as a writer I am honored to create worlds wherein diverse readers can feel seen, celebrated, and magical. One day, I hope that my stories make their way into the hands of children – maybe even becoming good friends.”

Marie Tang was born in Hong Kong, raised in New York City, and was a resident of Shanghai, China for over a decade. The unique characters and neon lights of the “Big City” have been an ever-present source of inspiration for her. As a child, she was neither encouraged nor discouraged to read, so when she discovered the world of books as a young adult, Marie couldn’t help but read, study, write and read some more. She was fortunate enough to spend several years as a literacy teacher which has given her some of her most prized possessions, memories of reading aloud to kids. Marie sees herself as hardworking, mindful, and blessed for all the amazing experiences she’s been allotted. Her picture book manuscript, Tai Gong’s Celebration, won 2^nd place in the 85^th Annual Writers Digest Competition. She is a member of the SCBWI and an active participant in Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Challenge.

Marie says, “When I started my journey, I dove headfirst into writing about my ethnicity and the rich nuances of Chinese culture. I continue to proudly tell tales of the grit, tenacity, and compassion of the Asian people. But what amazes me most is how much we share as citizens of the world. Without being too didactic in my picture books, I hope children (and adults) can take away a new perspective on what, to me is the reason for all stories, love.”

Mona Pease’s youngest days were spent walking on cement sidewalks to one of Boston’s Public libraries to curl up on a window seat to get lost in the exciting world of Nancy Drew, wondering why nothing exciting ever happened to her. Then, when her family moved to a small town in Maine in the middle of somewhere with no sidewalks, no library to walk to, no place to stop for a Coke! But, there were adventures: ice skating in the moonlight with kids who just seemed to appear, or “spotting” numbers of deer in a field, and walks to the farmer’s barn, with its strong farmy smells, to buy milk that came from a cow, instead a grocery store!

Mona dreamed of becoming teacher. Little did she know that her dream was taking shape when instead of attending college she married as a teenager and soon after became a mother. She and her young ones ventured along the brook and whispered to frogs then tapped their butts to see whose would leap the furthest! Or, stopping to observe fresh beaver cuttings followed by a race home to look up the life of beavers. As the children grew so did the family’s little farm and its visitors. Mona always welcomed the kids who “just seemed to appear”; neighbors, nieces, nephews, and one special piglet who had to be nursed to health-in the house! Learning, teaching, and children, have always been part of Mona’s life. She has no formal degree but after several years of elementary school volunteering her childhood dream came true when she was recruited by school staff to become a substitute teacher. Another dream of Mona’s was to become a children’s author. For years she has worked at her craft by writing, attending writing conferences, schmoozes, and retreats. While Mona doesn’t have a published book (yet!) she diligently submits her stories with the goal of adding picture book author to her list of accomplishments.

Mona says, “I still live in the same farm house with a wood-burning stove, where I write to the sound of two purring cats and the sight of the bubbly brook winding to the river. 2020 has been the year of different; no volunteering at school, no in-person conferences, and the husband who I married as a teenager, now rests in peace. This is the year that I’ve spent home time studying and focusing on deepening my craft. The writing community has generously offered many free classes and webinars this year. 12 x 12 still offers valuable creative webinars and submission opportunities. But this year, Julie has put her whole heart into helping writers stay upbeat by offering more!

My fascination with nature and love of unsung heroes is what I weave into my lyrical picture books about the natural world and biographies of little know amazing people. I hope that the stories I write will excite children’s curiosity whether they’re reading about family experiences, nature, animals or little known amazing people. I am a nonfiction writer at heart even being sure that my fictional tales always incorporate truth. My critique groups are my support partners, cheerleaders, and lifeline to perfecting my manuscripts. I’m still dreaming of being traditionally published. Here’s a wish that 2021 will take us all on new and great adventures. A year of dreams come true!”

Congratulations to this talented group of writers, and WELCOME to 12 x 12!

We’d love to welcome you to 12 x 12 in 2021, too! General registration will be open from January 8 – February 28, 2021.

Returning members, look for registration information in your inbox staring January 7th.