ALLENDALE, Mich. -- While they may be too young to vote, West Michigan students in grades 2-8 can express their thoughts about ArtPrize during a unique writing competition known as WritePrize.
Grand Valley State University is sponsoring the writing competition through its Lake Michigan Writing Project, a program that provides West Michigan teachers with professional development programs and writing workshops as an affiliate of the National Writing Project. Several Laker Writing Camps for young students are also held each year.
The WritePrize 2009 event invites teachers to get their students writing about their community using the International ArtPrize competition as their topic in one of two categories. Students may write a persuasive piece promoting a favorite ArtPrize exhibit, or write a creative piece inspired about one of the ArtPrize finalists. Submissions by teachers of their students' work will be accepted until September 30 and October 8, respectively.
"Writers thrive when they can choose topics that matter to their social and material lives," said LMWP Director Lindsay Ellis, assistant professor of English. She launched the contest to "encourage students to become vocal members of our community."
Students may also choose to e-mail their writing directly to Sue Spears in the LMWP office at [email protected], or to mail it to Grand Valley State University, Lake Michigan Writing Project, 218 Lake Huron Hall, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI 49401.
Participating students have the opportunity to win a full scholarship to the Summer 2010 Laker Writing Camp, a $100 prize value. The one-week camp for young students provides developing authors a chance to explore many styles of writing with some of West Michigan's finest teachers, and visits to age-appropriate places of interest and learning.
For more information about WritePrize and the Lake Michigan Writing
Project, visit www.lmwritingproject.org or
contact Lindsay Ellis at [email protected].
