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Teen Writing Contest Will Reward Stories About Diversity with College Scholarships
 
To push back against stereotyping, intolerance, racism and bullying—some of the more challenging issues children face today—high school students across the region are being encouraged to write and illustrate books that highlight diversity and inclusion.
 
B’nai B’rith International is pleased to announce a call for submissions for the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge, its signature tolerance education program that asks high school students to write and illustrate a children’s book that teaches acceptance.
 
The contest, which is offered through the generous support of Delmarva Power, is available to students in the Delmarva region. Delmarva Power is proud to serve as a program partner because of the company’s commitment to inclusion and education and the belief in B’nai B’rith’s mission.
 
In the last 10 years, B’nai B’rith has published 33 original children’s books, awarded more than $300,000 in college scholarships and grants, and donated more than 39,000 books to public schools, libraries and community organizations across the country.
 
The winning student, or team of students, will not only earn the prestige of becoming a published author, but will also secure a $5,000 college scholarship. The book will be donated to local elementary schools and libraries and will also be accessible in an e-book format on iTunes as a free download.
 
Students are eligible to participate if they are enrolled in grades nine through 12.
 
Students who live in Delaware and are enrolled in Kent, New Castle and Sussex County public schools; or enrolled in private, charter or independent schools within those counties, are eligible to participate.
 
Students who live in Maryland and are enrolled in Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties public schools; or enrolled in private, charter or independent schools within those counties, are eligible to participate.
 
The deadline for contest submissions is March 17, 2017.
 
The second-place winner will earn a $2,000 college scholarship, and the third-place winner will receive $1,000 in financial aid for college. The teacher who oversees the winning entry will secure a $1,000 grant, and the school of the first-place winning student receives a $500 grant.
 
A diverse panel of judges from the worlds of education, the arts, business and government, along with B’nai B’rith International leaders, will review the entries and select the winners. Previous judging panel members have included Gary R. Stockbridge, region president for Delmarva Power Region; Jim Mathias, Maryland state senator; Jim Ireton, mayor of Salisbury, Md.; Susan S. Bunting, superintendent of Indian River School District; Anthony S. Goode, fire chief of the Wilmington Fire Department; Dr. Jacqueline D. Jenkins, chief strategy advisor for the City of Wilmington; and Yolanda McCallum, director of development at the Delaware Children’s Museum.
 
B’nai B’rith created this education and awareness program to promote tolerance and communicate a message of equality among all races, ages and genders, and it is our hope that this educational initiative will encourage our future leaders to be more accepting of one another’s differences. 
 
For more information and detailed contest rules, please visit the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge site here.
 
Delmarva Power
Delmarva Power, a public utility owned by Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), provides safe and reliable energy to more than 500,000 electric delivery customers in Delaware and Maryland and approximately 130,000 natural gas delivery customers in northern Delaware.

B’nai B’rith International
B’nai B’rith International, the Global Voice of the Jewish Community, is the most widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organization. B’nai B’rith works to aid the victims of disaster; improves the lives of senior citizens through housing and advocacy; promotes health initiatives and education; provides youth leadership training; serves community members in need; and fights intolerance around the world.  B’nai B’rith…since 1843. Visit www.bnaibrith.org.