email : Webview : UM-Dearborn Writing Contest for Grades 3-5

4th Annual

Writing Contest for Grades 3 - 5

Support Children's Literacy

Encourage your students or children to creatively express themselves through their writing.

Reading and writing are critical literacy skills for children to develop, especially in the elementary grades. Our 4th Annual Young Authors' Festival provides an opportunity for children to develop these skills and for parents to learn tips and techniques for supporting their children's literacy development.

Please take this opportunity to support children's literacy!

Writing Contest Theme: The Importance of Family and Helping Others

Christopher Paul Curtis's book, Bud, Not Buddy, highlights the importance of family and helping others. We invite students to write a personal narrative, poem, or essay related to the importance of family. We also encourage students to write about personal family stories and memories.

If students do not want to write about a personal experience, they may write about someone they know, make up characters, etc.

Awards are given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for each of the grades along with one grand prize winner. Students who win awards will be invited to read their entries at the Nov. 12th festival.

Writing Contest Rules

Students in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade may enter.
- Submit one piece of writing: essay, poem, or narrative
- Illustrations may be included
- 500-word limit
- Writing must be original
- Typed entries only
- Include a title
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be selected from each grade, plus one grand prize winner.
Winners will receive Barnes & Noble gift cards and be invited to read aloud their entries at the Young Authorsʼ Festival on Nov. 12, 2016.

Do not put the student's name on the entry. A second sheet must be submitted with the following information:
- Name and grade
- Home address
- Title of contest entry
- School name and address
- Name, email address, and phone number of sponsoring teacher or parent

Due Date: Friday, October 14, 2016

Entries must be emailed or postmarked by Friday, Oct. 14, 2016; late entries cannot be accepted
Emailed documents are preferred
Winners will be notified in late October or early November
Email digital entries as an attachment to: yaf-contest@umich.edu
Mail paper entries to: Barbara Kriigel, Mardigian Library, Univ. of Michigan-Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen, Dearborn, MI 48128

FREE!! Young Authors' Festival, Saturday, November 12, 2016 FREE!!

Everyone is invited to attend the Young Authors' Festival on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the University of Michigan-Dearborn's Mardigian Library.

Christopher Paul Curtis, Michigan author and Newbery Medal winner, is the special guest speaker. The event also includes fun breakout sessions for children to develop their writing and reading skills, and for adults to learn tips for supporting their children's literacy development.

The Festival is FREE and open to the public. Registration begins Monday, Oct. 10, 2016.

For more details, see the event's website: http://library.umd.umich.edu/yaf

Directions to the campus are at: http://umdearborn.edu/maps_directions/