What is Diverse Minds?The Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge is an education and awareness initiative created by B'nai B'rith International as part of its series of programs that promote tolerance and communicate a message of equality among all citizens regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender or sexual orientation. Our goal is to destroy prejudices and strengthen the future of our youth through enlightenment, inspiration and education.
This scholarship competition asks high school students to write and illustrate a children's book that discusses the topics of tolerance and diversity. Executed through public and private high schools, the Challenge encourages teens to create innovative ways to teach tolerance to elementary-aged children, as well as encounter new insights into these issues for themselves. The contest winner in each city will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and publication of his or her book! Information> Contest Details
> This Year's Contest Cities > Prizes & Award Presentation Events > Rules > Judging > Submission Information > Contact Us Contest DetailsContest 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. Please note that long blocks of copy are generally not age-appropriate. 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; they can be created with any type of artistic medium and shall 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. See previous award-winning submissions: > 2011 - 2012 Winners > 2010 - 2011 Winners > 2009 - 2010 Winners > 2008 - 2009 Winners > 2007 - 2008 Winners > 2006 - 2007 Winners This Year's Contest CitiesNew York City
Now in its seventh year, B’nai B’rith is pleased to again offer the 2013 Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge in New York City. Students in grades 9-12 currently residing in one of the five New York City boroughs (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens), and who have not previously published an original manuscript for profit, are eligible to participate. Please thoroughly read the contest rules, write and illustrate your book and submit the manuscript by the contest deadline of March 15, 2013. > Download the program flyer (complete with all necessary contest information). B’nai B’rith would like to thank the NYSE Euronext Foundation and USA Networks for their continued support of the NYC Challenge. SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 15, 2013
Washington, D.C. Metro Area
This year, B’nai B’rith is pleased to bring back the Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge to the Washington, D.C. Metro Area! Students in 9-12th grades enrolled in D.C. public schools, Montgomery County public schools and Prince George's County public schools, and who have not previously published an original manuscript for profit, are eligible to participate. Please thoroughly read the contest rules, write and illustrate your book, and submit the manuscript by the contest deadline of March 22, 2013. > Download the program flyer (complete with all necessary contest information). B’nai B’rith would like to thank PEPCO for its generous support in sponsoring the 2012-2013 contest. SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 22, 2013 
Prizes & Award DetailsIn 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. School grant: A grant of $500 will be awarded to the school of the winning participant. The winners will receive their awards, scholarship prizes and published book at a public award presentation event to be held in May/June 2013. The students whose submission place in the Top 10, along with their parents, teacher and principal, will be invited to the award presentation event. *The winning book in each city will be professionally published with copies distributed to each public library and elementary school within the local community. B’nai B’rith retains all rights to the published books. **All prizes will be shared if more than one student, teacher or school wins. Rules> The contest is open to high school students currently enrolled in grades 9-12 in the listed contest cities who have not previously published an original manuscript for profit.
> Entries must be the original work of the student(s). > Only one entry is accepted per student and per team; students may only submit an entry for the contest in the city in which they reside. > 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. JudgingJudging 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 compete only with other students from their contest city. The city-specific judging panels, consisting of interfaith community leaders, political officials, prominent educators, artists, writers and local celebrities, will choose the first, second and third place winners from the group of finalists. Previous judging panel members have included author Judy Blume, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, NYC Police Commissioner Raymond Kelley, the Executive Director of the Children’s Book Council Robin Adelson and then-Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Cristián Samper, Ph.D. 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, scholarship prizes and published book will be presented at a public award presentation event in each city. Submission InformationNew York City Contest Submission Deadline: March 15, 2013.
Washington, DC Metro Area Contest Submission Deadline: March 22, 2013. Status letters revealing whether or not submissions have placed in the Top 10, and therefore will be considered for the top prizes, will be sent to students in April 2013. Submissions may be mailed to: B'nai B'rith International 3397 Barham Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90068 Or sent via email to: diverseminds@bnaibrith.org Submissions MUST include a cover letter that includes the following information: name and contact information of the author(s), name and contact information of student’s school and teacher, a brief biographical note and any other information you would like us to consider. Please note: If you do not receive a confirmation of receipt via email, please call or email to be sure that we received it. Status letters revealing whether or not submissions have placed in the Top 10, and therefore will be considered for the top prizes, will be sent to students in April 2013. Contact UsDiverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge
B'nai B'rith International 3397 Barham Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90068 Email: diverseminds@bnaibrith.org Phone: 1-888-838-2499 For media inquires, please contact mediarelations@bnaibrith.org. If you are with a foundation or corporation that would like more information about sponsoring the Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge in your city, or you are with a non-profit community organization who would like to receive donated books, please contact Melanie Marconi at mmarconi@bnaibrith.org or 888-838-2499 . |
Download the 2012 Diverse Minds Winning Book
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