Rowe and Chapman were surprised when cooperative representatives announced at a school-wide assembly that they had won the statewide contest on March 22. Newberry Electric CEO Keith Avery and board members attended as well as the school district’s superintendent, State Rep. Joe White, and members of the winners’ families.

The two split the $500 cash prize and their teacher, Kevin Boozer, was awarded a $100 prize. The book, created on the literacy-focused online platform StoryJumper, will be published and distributed to elementary schools throughout the state this summer. Harper and Ali will also be recognized by the South Carolina General Assembly on April 25.

Phoenix and the Town Power Outage takes readers through the aftermath of a power outage and the main character’s investigation of its cause.