CONTEST DETAILS:
Contest participants should think about how tolerance and diversity can improve our world, and then create innovative ways to teach these ideas to elementary-aged children through the creation of a book. Submissions should provide a story that children can identify with and relate to and promote a greater understanding of different cultures, lifestyles and beliefs.
Students should consider the following issues:
- What does diversity mean? How can you illustrate that to children?
- What are some examples of tolerant behavior?
- What can children do to spread the message of tolerance?
- Why is diversity important to the greater community?
Submissions may be fiction or nonfiction and must be written for an audience of children in grades K-5.
Entries should consist of a complete story with full-color illustrations and be submitted on 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper with text and art on each page. Entries may be no longer than 24 pages. Students may work individually or as a team, up to groups of four, to complete the project. Teams will split the scholarship prize money.
PRIZES & AWARD PRESENTATION:
In each contest city, the winners will be awarded with the following prizes:"
First prize: A $5,000 college scholarship and publication of the book.*
Second Prize: $2,000 college scholarship
Third Prize: $1,000 college scholarship
Teacher prize: A stipend of $500 (to use for classroom materials) will be awarded to the teacher who oversees the creation of the first place submission.
The winner(s) will receive their award, scholarship prize and published book at a public award presentation event to be held in May, 2008 in each of the contest cities. Submissions placing second and third will also be invited to the award presentation event.
*The winning book in each city will be professionally published with 2,500 copies distributed to each public library and elementary school within the local community.
RULES:
- The contest is open to high school students in the ninth-twelfth grades who have not previously published an original manuscript for profit.
- Students must attend school within Los Angeles County, New York City (all five boroughs), Washington D.C, the Virginia counties of Arlington and Fairfax, the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George's, and Hennepin County, Minn.
- Only one entry is accepted per student and per team.
- Once submitted, all entries are property of B'nai B'rith International. B'nai B'rith retains all rights and incomes from possible sales of the books.
- Entries must be the original work of the student(s).
JUDGING:
Judging will be based on the following criteria: creativity, artistic and writing skill, clarity of message, understanding for the intended audience, and appropriateness to the contest theme. B'nai B'rith International will do a preliminary judging round to determine the top 10 finalists in each city.
Each contest in each city will have its own judging panel - students will be competing only with others from their particular city. The city-specific judging panels, consisting of interfaith community leaders, political officials, prominent educators and local celebrities, will choose the first, second and third place winners from the group of finalists. The submission with the greatest number of votes out of the total number of votes from all judges will be selected as the first place winner. The awards will be presented at a public event in each city.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION:
The deadline for contest submissions is March 18, 2008 - all submissions must be postmarked by this date.
To be considered, all submissions must include a detailed cover letter. Cover letters must include the student(s) name, grade, and contact information, as well as the name of the high school and teacher, and a brief biographical note about the author(s).
All submissions with cover letters must be mailed to:
Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge - CITY NAME
B'nai B'rith International
4311 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90010
If the submission is in electronic form, it may be emailed to diverseminds@bnaibrith.org. Please be sure to attach the cover letter with the email. Emails must be received by midnight PST on March 1, 2008. You will receive a confirmation email that your submission was accepted.
CONTACT US:
Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge
B'nai B'rith International
4311 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Email: diverseminds@bnaibrith.org
Phone: 1-888-838-2499
For media inquires, please contact Sharon Bender, Director of Media Relations at 202-857-6699 or sbender@bnaibrith.org.
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