Four students at Walker Gamble Elementary School have been named statewide winners in the 2026 South Carolina Children’s Book Challenge after writing and illustrating an original children’s book about the life of a lineworker.
Lawson Cannon, Knowlton Carter, Wayde Ingram and Rayvon Kersey, all students in Lauren Kinlaw’s fourth-grade class, were recognized Mar. 19 during a visit from Santee Electric Cooperative representatives, who surprised the students with news that their book, Job Shadowing a Lineman, had won the competition’s group division.
The students were first selected as Santee Electric Cooperative’s local Children’s Book Challenge winners before advancing to the statewide competition, where their book was chosen from entries submitted across South Carolina.
According to the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, the students will split a $500 prize, and their book will be printed and mailed to elementary schools throughout the state. Kinlaw, who guided the students through the project, received a $250 prize. The students and their teacher are also expected to be recognized by the South Carolina General Assembly next month.
Santee Electric Cooperative representatives visited Walker Gamble on Mar. 19 to surprise the students with the announcement.
The annual Children’s Book Challenge is a cross-curricular program focused on energy education and sponsored by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives, including Santee Electric Cooperative and the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina. Each year, fourth- and fifth-grade students are invited to write and illustrate original children’s books centered on electricity and electric cooperatives. This year’s theme was “A Day in the Life of a Lineworker.”
In Job Shadowing a Lineman, a young boy named Jaden spends the day on the job with his father, a Santee Electric lineworker, learning about the responsibilities, risks and importance of the work.
“We loved the story and the artwork that Lawson, Wayde, Rayvon and Knowlton created,” Joanna Hayes, Santee Electric’s manager of community relations, said in a statement. “We hope they learned a lot about their electric cooperative and the men and women that keep their power on.”
Kinlaw said the project gave students an opportunity to strengthen several classroom skills while creating something meaningful.
“Research is a big part of our standards and I loved seeing them develop those researching skills throughout the process,” Kinlaw said in a statement. “They also grew in their writing skills, creating a story, characters and a plot using the skills we’ve been building. It turned out amazing.”
The book features original student artwork and was designed using the online platform StoryJumper. According to contest organizers, the students used resources from scbookchallenge.com and support from Santee Electric as they researched and created the project.
For Walker Gamble, the statewide honor means the students’ work will now reach classrooms far beyond Turbeville — giving other children across South Carolina a chance to read a story created by local students about the people who help keep the lights on.
