There’s a contest for your teens where they don’t have to sing, play an instrument or spell difficult words. But there is something they're expected to do: they’re expected to write.
“We have a contest for kids between [the] seventh and 12th grades.”
Shannon Stephens is with the San Antonio Public Library Foundation.
“We’re asking them to submit an essay about the theme ‘A Chest in the Attic.’”
I asked "So there’s a Chest in the Attic, they go to look and what do they find? It’s up to them to determine what they find?"
“Exactly. It can be a mystery. It can be science fiction. The stories have to be 1,500 words or less, the deadline is Jan. 12, 2015.”
Should they win, what prizes do they get?
“That’s the best part of all. The prizes are cash money. The third place winner in each category wins $100. The second place winner gets $150. And the first place winner wins $250 for themselves, and $500 for their school. And I should say there are three categories. The seventh and eighth grades are one category, ninth and 10th is in another, and 11th and 12th.”
Judging isn’t just done by one person.
“No! No, we have a whole panel; we’re hoping to have 30 judges this year.”
What do you think the judges will be looking for?
“Creativity, ordinarily, and the flow of the story. You know, obviously, it needs to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. It needs to make sense. It needs to be engaging.”
The San Antonio Public Library Foundation will put on next spring’s San Antonio Book Festival, and the young writers will be presented there.
“The winners will be recognized at the book festival. So there will be some sort of program where we give them their checks and an award.”
We’ve more on the Young Writer’s Contest here.
And more on the Book Festival here.
