Writing contests are a fabulous way for students to further develop their writing skills, reach a broader audience, and potentially win a prize. They also provide a novel way to insert a little excitement into the daily curriculum. We are excited to announce that the IEW Writing Contest 2023 is now open for student writers! The theme for this year’s contest is courage.
What is courage? How does it manifest itself? Does courage require bravery, or are there other qualities that matter even more? What situations require courage? Is courage something that is easily identifiable by others, or is it something that emanates quietly from inside oneself? Does courage require forethought, or is it something that wells up spontaneously when a situation demands it? What examples of courage can be found in history or literature? Is there an age limit on courage? These are just a few of the questions that entrants may consider as they write.
The contest, open to all aspiring and accomplished writers ages eight to eighteen regardless of their experience with IEW’s Structure and Style writing method, is a great way to showcase students’ writing efforts. Prizes will be awarded in each category to the top three winners and their teachers!
- First Prize: $100.00 (for student) + $100.00 IEW gift certificate (for parent or teacher)
- Second Prize: $50.00 (for student) + $50.00 IEW gift certificate (for parent or teacher)
- Third Prize: $25.00 (for student) + $25.00 IEW gift certificate (for parent or teacher)
We have three different prompts.
Level A (ages 8–10)
Write a 2-paragraph composition answering this prompt: “Describe a courageous person who is interesting or important to you. The person must be a real person, either from the present (living) or from the past.”
Level B (ages 11‒13)
Write a 4- to 5- paragraph composition answering this prompt: “Who is a historical or literary figure whom you believe displayed courage? What can we learn from him or her?”
Level C (ages 14‒18)
Write a 5- to 7- paragraph essay answering this prompt: “What does it mean to be courageous? Either write about a time when you needed to be courageous or describe someone who is or was courageous. This can be a real person (living or dead) or a literary person. Finish by sharing how you have grown from either your experience or the example of the person you described.”
We hope you’ll share this contest with your students! For more information, click the link below.
