Under the tutelage of Willow School Elementary School teachers Julia Dweck and Matthew Weimann, a group of student writers have achieved national recognition.

Dweck and Weimann established a writing club which they christened INK-readable Writers and set out to produce a book to be entered in Scholastic Publishing’s annual “Kids Are Authors” contest.

Dweck arranged for the club, comprised of 10 third graders, to meet Ibiyinka Alao, arts ambassador from Nigeria to the United Nations. The children listened to Alao’s stories, brainstormed for ideas and eventually developed a book entitled “Ibi’s Fireflies.”

Of the 900 national entries in this year’s “Kid’s Are Authors” competition, “Ibi’s Fireflies” garnered the grand prize.

The book will be published by Scholastic and promoted across the country through Scholastic book fairs.

In addition, Willow Lane Elementary School will receive the equivalent of $5,000 in Scholastic books. Each participating student will be awarded a gold medallion.