Latest Press Release
3/1/2012 | Mrs. P Celebrates Young Author’s for Read Across America
Children’s writing contest-winning stories available at free website
www.MrsP.com, the popular, award-winning children’s website, will participate in the National Education Association’s Read Across America campaign March 2 by releasing videos of the winners of its 2011 writing contest for kids, and with in-person appearances by website host Mrs. P (TV star Kathy Kinney) at two schools in Los Angeles, CA.
“This year the two grand prize-winning stories of my Be-A-Famous-Writer contest are available for viewing on YouTube, so the links can be shared by all the excited friends and relatives”, said Mrs. P star Kathy Kinney. Sarah Smale, age 8, from Washington State, won top honors in the 4-to-8 year-old category for The Treasure Decision, an adventure story featuring a mysterious treasure, pirates and an unusual bookstore. Emma Stowe, age 12, from Alabama, won in the 9-13 age group for Thinking Cap, a compelling and amusing detective story, set in a grade school, following the search for a lost gerbil.
In addition, actress Kinney (best known as Mimi on The Drew Carey Show) will bring her quirky Mrs. P character to 2 schools in the Los Angeles area, Carr Elementary and William McKinley Elementary. Both winners received a bound and illustrated copy of their stories with an additional copy donated to their school libraries to celebrate Read Across America. Read Across America is an annual event established by the NEA to honor children’s author Dr. Seuss.
About Mrs. P Enterprises, LLC.
Mrs. P Enterprises, LLC, was founded in 2008 by Hollywood team Clay Graham, Kathy Kinney and Dana Plautz. After having built successful careers in television and New Media, the three creators of MrsP.com were brought together by a love of reading and a desire to help spark that same passion in young people everywhere. The company endeavors to expose young people to great books and stories through a celebrity storyteller and to spark their imaginations and creativity with on-line games and writing contests. Its production offices are located in Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California.
Bios
Clay Graham, co-president, was born in Phoenix, Arizona and was the head writer and Executive Producer of The Drew Carey Show for seven years. The show aired on ABC for nine seasons and is now syndicated throughout the world. Clay wrote for Mad Magazine while still in college and wrote and produced the sitcoms Benson and Who’s the Boss? soon after. He recently developed an animated comedy pilot, Big Tow, for TBS and Sony Studios, and is currently a writer and producer on the new NBC sitcom, Are You There, Chelsea? Clay has written comic essays for The New York Times, Written Bymagazine and The Arizona Republic.
Kathy Kinney, co-president, was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and achieved international fame playing Mimi Bobeck on “The Drew Carey Show” for nine years. (Kathy is the only member of the Mrs. P team who has had a doll manufactured in her image.) Before and after playing Mimi, Kathy has guest starred on television shows too numerous to mention. She has also appeared in many films including “This Boy’s Life” and “Stanley and Iris,” Kathy may currently be seen in a recurring role on the ABC Family hit series "The Secret Life of the American Teenager". She is also co-author, along with her friend Cindy Ratzlaff, of the book, “Queen of Your Own Life – The Grownup Woman’s Guide To Claiming Happiness And Getting The Life You Deserve.”
Dana Plautz, co-president, was born in New York and raised in Southern California. She spent 10 years in the Hollywood entertainment industry, holding senior posts at Norman Lear’s Embassy Communications and Hanna-Barbera Studios, followed by 13 years in high tech at Intel, Corp. specializing in the area of new media and emerging applications. But Dana's roots never strayed far from the entertainment field: she held a government appointment for 6 years,chairing the Oregon State Film and Video office. Dana is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker and web producer and has a strong philanthropic and community volunteerism record, with a special interest in supporting the arts, education, and services for women and children.