The American Immigration Council is happy to announce the winner of the 2010 National Creative Writing Contest.

Julia Culbert a fifth grader from Santa Clara Valley was selected from thousands of entries with her piece, "America's Fried."

America's Fried

by Julia Culbert

The mice gathered in their cave, lingering in the illuminated abyss.  They often discussed politics and all had very definite opinions.  Disagreements led to arguing, and arguing led to fighting.

Tonight they were discussing dinner, though.  Anna, a girl mouse, was having fried rice.  Her sister Adelaide was enjoying her steamed rice.  Rice was really a fine feast, when it passed the holidays, and the mice loved it.

"My steamed rice is delicious.  All one flavor, all the same. I'd never dare mix it with Vermeer's egg.  How lush it is in my mouth,"  Adelaide whispered as the steam filled her round glasses.

Anna just had to speak up, "Now see here! Your rice is a bland mixture, all the same, like some countries in the world.  My fried rice is mixed, like with each person immigrating here, and it tastes better with a little bit of each, like all the different cultures in America."

"Not true!" squeaked Mabel, "People have different ways! How could it all fit together?"

"America is how.  If you add soy sauce to that rice, it will taste a little better.  But you need all the vegetables in order to get the best flavor you can," explained Anna.  She was now full-out ready to explain it.

She sorted out all of the ingredients into little piles, taking some of Mabel's sauce and Adelaides's rice.

"Now," she commanded to all the other mice, "try some carrot."