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SHERRY ROBINSONWe sought your ideas to help everyone remember the newly discovered Sedna, and boy did you come through. Your mnemonic sentences - filled with monkeys, martians, mango jelly and more - were out of this world!
When Xpress asked kids to include Sedna in a mnemonic sentence to help learn and remember the names of the planets in the solar system, we expected to get a few responses.
More than 400 letters and e-mails arrived at the St. Petersburg Times. We got an entry from Canada, another from New Jersey.
Sedna is the recently discovered planetlike object 8-billion miles from Earth. The object is smaller than tiny Pluto, but it's still the biggest thing found circling the sun since Pluto was discovered in 1930. In the mnemonic sentence, the first letter of each word matches a planet: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and now Sedna, if it is determined to be a new planet.
We realized two things from these wonderful entries: You all have incredibly vivid imaginations and you love to write silly sentences. And one thing is certain: You sure love monkeys. And martians and monsters. Vacuums, veterinarians and vegetarians also were popular. Those were just some of the colorful creatures and characters that were used in the sentences.
We asked for original sentences and you did not disappoint, although we did get a few that just added a word to the example sentence, "My very energetic mother just served us nine pizzas." And we also asked that only school kids enter but some moms, dads and grandparents couldn't resist. Ahh, to be young again.
The X-Team got into the act and helped to judge a few of the entries. And they even wrote a few. One of the best was this: Many vacationers enjoy meeting jellyfish swimming under noiseless perfect seas.
Now, without further ado, the winner of the Xpress Planetary Puzzler contest is Angela Chiacchia, 8, a third-grader at Bauder Elementary in Seminole. Her sentence:
Miss Velma Eggbert made jelly sandwiches using new plastic spoons.
Angela will receive a super cool Slip 'N Slide Splash Track by Wham-O. It's one of the many things we get here at the paper. We hope she enjoys it.
First runnerup is "Monkeys visit every Monday just so us nuts play silly," written by 13-year-old Samantha Jefferis, a seventh-grader at Williams Middle Magnet School in Tampa. She will receive 20Q from Radica, an electronic game that asks you 20 questions then guesses what is on your mind. Really, it works.
Second runnerup is "Mickey visits elegant Minnie just Saturdays until neighbors prepare supper," written by Michael Johnson, 10, a fourth-grader at Maniscalco Elementary in Lutz. He will receive a Dunk Seat water game from Wild Planet.
Third runnerup is "Many vipers eat mongoose jam sandwiches unless Nana packs salad," written by Clark Kelly, 7, a first-grader at Pasadena Fundamental Elementary in St. Petersburg. He will receive a MEGAS (Mecha Earth Guard Attack System) robot action figure from the Cartoon Network.
Honorable mention goes to "Miss Violet eats many juicy strawberries under Nina's porch swing," written by Alex Cario and Erin McCarragher, both 12 and in the sixth grade at Notre Dame Interparochial School in Spring Hill. They will receive two DVDs: Ghosts of the Abyss, which is about the Titanic, and Spy Kids 3-D. They can fight it out over who gets which movie.
And now for the best of the rest.
* * *Mr. Vick eats many juicy strawberries under nice pineapple stumps.
- Ryan Mueller, 10, fourth grade, St. Cecelia School, Clearwater
Monkeys visit every messy junk store unlike normal people should.
- Justin Miles, 13, seventh grade, St. Cecelia School, Clearwater
My voice eventually makes Jeremy scream until nanny prepares snacks.
- Diana Gaona, 10, fifth grade, Mittye P. Locke Elementary, Elfers
Memphis values Elvis' memories just so uncles never practice songs.
- Shawn Hannon, 11, fifth grade, Guardian Angels Catholic School, Clearwater
Many vegetarians eat more junk snacks unless ninety pounds show.
- Matthew Harvey, 10, fourth grade, Eisenhower Elementary, Clearwater
Mays' violets engender many joyous scenes using nature's pleasant smells.
- Anna Leo, 16, 10th grade, Clearwater High
Mary's very elegant mouse just sat under nine pretty sunflowers.
- Lynda Hodge's fourth-grade ESOL class, Lakewood Elementary, St. Petersburg
Many volcanic eruptions may just seem unusually new, partly strange.
- Alyssa Runnels, 10, St. Cecelia School, Clearwater
Moe Van Elder mowed just six utterly nasty pastures Sunday.
- Dylan Wolfinger, 11, sixth grade, Shorecrest Preparatory School, St. Petersburg
My valentine enters my jewelry store under no present supervised.
- Abbey Jensen, 6, first grade, Leila Davis Elementary, Clearwater
Martians voraciously eat marbles just so utter nonsense permanently survives.
- Katie Rogers, 11, fifth grade, homeschooled, Palm Harbor
Mom vacuums every morning just so unwanted neighbors pass soon.
- Alex Holtz, 10, fourth grade, St. Cecelia School, Clearwater
Music videos entertain many juveniles sitting upon nice puffy sofas.
- Jake Laursen, 9, third grade, Tarpon Springs Elementary School.
Mom's van easily moved just slightly uphill nearly past six.
- Mallory Hansen, 9, fourth grade, St. Cecelia School, Clearwater
Many voyages encounter mean jellyfish swimming under neon poisonous seaweed.
- Nicholas Brands, 12, sixth grade, Oxford Central School, Oxford, N.J.
Mom vacuums every Monday just so Uncle Nick plays soccer.
- Lynne Gulotta's third-grade class, ages 7 and 8, World of Knowledge, Holiday
Many vicious eels make juicy sandwiches under new plankton seas.
- Matt Jurski, 11, fifth grade, Guardian Angels Catholic School, Clearwater
My violin-eating monster jumped soundlessly upon nervous performing singers.
- Kimberley Nix, 11, sixth grade, Cyrus Eaton Elementary, Pugwash, Nova Scotia
Most vegetables except mushrooms just sprout under nice pure sunlight.
- Chelsea Peterson, 12, sixth grade, Transfiguration Catholic School, St. Petersburg
Mary Virginia's egregious mammoth justly sat upon nine pretty seals.
- Casey Grant, 13, eighth grade, St. Mary's Episcopal Day School, Tampa
My vet eats meat just sauteed until no pink shows!
- Alana J. Leo, 13, eighth grade, Largo Middle
Monkeys vacation every March just so unicorns never play saxophones!
- Kyle Davis, 9, third grade, Curtis Fundamental, Clearwater
Many volts electrified me just Sunday up north Pennsylvania Street.
- Erin Golden, 10, fourth grade, Westlake Christian School, Palm Harbor
Monsters vary every month just so unpleasant nights prove scary.
- Kelsey Halfast, 12, seventh grade, Grace Lutheran Church and School, St. Petersburg
Monkey ventriloquists entertain many Japanese sons until nine parrots sing.
- Emily Bozigar, 9, and Cassidy Guercio, 8, third-graders at Deer Park Elementary, New Port Richey
My vet Eddie Murphy just sent us new pet snacks.
- Lauren Graves, 13, seventh grade, St. Cecelia School, Clearwater
Most Vikings enjoy making jumbo sails under nearly perfect skies.
- Rachel Stoker, 12, seventh grade, Florida Virtual Academy, Palm Harbor
Mary Vine eats many juicy Skittles under Nana's perfect sofa.
- Katlin Wright and Lauren Tozour, both 11 and fifth-graders, Northside Christian School, St. Petersburg
Make very easy money - just send us nine purple sweaters.
- Gregory Gleason, 9, third grade, Holy Family Catholic School, St. Petersburg
My vigorous earthworms moved just slowly under newly planted seeds.
- Andrew Kullman, 9, third grade, Holy Family Catholic School, St. Petersburg
Many vicious eels move jumbo shoes under new purple shells.
- Alyssa Roberts and Amanda Muhsemann, both 12 and in seventh grade, Chasco Middle, Port Richey
My very exotic monkey just sat upon Nick's purple suitcase.
- Kayla Wagner, 12, seventh grade, Chasco Middle, Port Richey
Mr. Valentine enjoys mango jelly served until nine past seven.
- First- and second-graders at Wesley Chapel Elementary
Monkeys venture east making jeering, smashing, unfriendly noises past sunset.
- Jennifer Castle, 11, sixth grade, Coachman Fundamental Middle, Clearwater
My vicious elephant made jumbo-sized underpants near Pennsylvania State.
- Casondra Valle, 12, seventh grade, Coachman Fundamental Middle, Clearwater
Many vultures eat massive jumping sheep until nuns pleasantly sing.
- Thomas Halchak, 11, fifth grade, Curlew Creek Elementary, Palm Harbor
My very enormous mouth just sampled under ninety pies safely.
- Catherine Szempruch, 11, fifth grade, Cypress Woods Elementary, Palm Harbor
Many very excited martians jumped stars using new pogo sticks.
- Jennifer Davison, 12, sixth grade, West Hernando Middle, Brooksville
My volcano erupted many jumbo square umbrellas, nineteen parasols survived.
- Shalla Galanos, 8, third grade, Holy Family Catholic School, St. Petersburg
Many very excited martians join super unique NASA prep school.
- Michael Zampella, 10, fifth grade, Cotee River Elementary, New Port Richey
My vicious elephant made Joy sit under Noah's penguin stand.
- Grace McClelland, 10, fifth grade, Guardian Angels Catholic School, Clearwater
Many violinists entertain Madonna, J.Lo, Snoop (Dogg) under naturally peaceful skies.
- Musical fifth-grade students, Perkins Elementary, St. Petersburg
Mars' volcanoes erupted madly July sixth until numerous parties started.
- Tiffany Evonosky, 10, fourth grade, Maniscalco Elementary, Lutz
Monsters vanish every morning just so useless noisy people sleep.
- Rachel Keith, 9, fourth grade, Maniscalco Elementary, Lutz
Many Victorian entertaining monkeys jump slowly under numerous planets spinning.
- Brittany Anderson, 12, sixth grade, Largo Middle
Many vipers every month just slither up Nick's porch steps.
- Shelby Lenkey, 12, sixth grade, Gulf Middle, New Port Richey
Monica's very expensive Mustang just sank under Nathan's polluted swamp.
- Alexis Kimbrell, 12, sixth grade, Bayonet Point Middle, New Port Richey
Mike visits Ernie's mother's jewelry store until noon pricing silver.
- Joey Calkins, 11, sixth grade, Bayonet Point Middle, New Port Richey