E Pluribus Unum Prize

Contest: Migration Policy Institute's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy

Genre:  Essay

Theme:  Outstanding immigrant integration innitiatives

Prize:  $50,000

Publication:  Winning programs will be featured on:  http://www.migrationinformation.org/integrationawards/

Odds of winning:  Four programs are recognized each year.

A few months ago, my principal brought this contest to me.  It is a lengthy essay contest explaining how your program helps immigrants successfully integrate into American society.  She wanted me to enter our ESL Newcomer program.  My first thought was that it looked like A LOT of work.  My second thought, was that a $50,000 prize was nothing to sneeze at.  My third thought was a realization that this was a writing contest and that I had to do it.  No questions asked.

After gathering all the information that would be needed to complete the application form, I decided to have a meeting with my fellow ESL Team Members.  I thought perhaps we could divide up the work and they could include their expertise on how our program functions.  Then NaNoWriMo happened and the application fell to the bottom of the to-do pile.

When it resurfaced, on December 12th, I realized I had just a few days to get it completed and submitted.  No time for a meeting of the minds, I would have to knock it out on my own.  Extra special thanks to Stephanie Hunt and Peggy White for making time and space available for me to get it done - and thanks for listening to me whine.  Thanks to Emily Primrose for her lightening fast editing.  The final draft came out to be about 3800 words, but if NaNoWriMo has taught me anything, it's how to write fast.

If we win, it will be because of the optional "supporting material" that I included.  You are allowed to include one source, a newspaper article, letter of recommendation, etc., to support your application.  I uploaded an electronic copy of my student's memoir that we published last spring.  (Thanks to the tech help desk for walking me through that nightmare!)   Seriously, if we win this thing, all credit goes to Sabrin.

I plan to enter this contest again next year, when I can slow down, get feedback from my team members and put together a more cohesive proposal.  This was good experience, though, and for a potential 50k, it was worth the headache.

Wish us luck .  . .

Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel

 

"Teachers want us to work, and I say, Fine, I'll work. But you've gotta let me do the kind of work that I wanna do. And for me, it's my drum kit, man. This is my passion. This is the essence of who I am now. But before I had this, I was lost, too. You see what I'm saying? You need to find your reason for living. You've gotta find your big, gigantic drum kit."  ~ Nick Andropolis from "Freaks and Geeks"

Contest:  Delacorte Press Contest

Genre:  Young Adult Novel

Theme:  Contemporary Setting

Prize:  Standard publishing contract and an advance on royalties

Publication:  Hardcover and paperback editions through Delacorte Press

Odds of winning:  one winner a year, sometimes honor books are awarded

I made it a policy long ago to always do the assignments I give to my students.  Since I have asked them to enter writing contest this year, I have committed to entering one of my own.  Or maybe it was because I had decided to enter this contest, that made me think to have my students enter contests.  Chicken or egg.  Doesn't matter now.

The Delacorte Press Contest awards a publishing contract to a writer who has not previously published young adult fiction.  When I started researching information about getting novels published, I came across this contest and decided it would be a lot easier to win this contest, then to start looking for an agent.  Not that I expect to publish the easy way.  This contest is just the next step for me in getting my work out into the world.  I'm mailing off my manuscript this week and once it's sent, I'm going to start working on next year's submission.  At some point, I will start looking for an agent, but in the meantime, I'll do this.

I've been thinking a lot lately about why publication is my goal.  Why not just write for the love for writing?  It's not about the money.  If Random House told me tomorrow, we want to publish your book, we think we can make a ton of money off it, but we're not going to pay you a dime, I'd let them have it.  (Don't worry, my husband would be the voice of reason.)  It's not about fame.  First of all, not too many young adult authors are famous.  Secondly, those of you that know my turtle self, know that I don't enjoy the spot light. 

Here's what it is about publication for me:  I want to write something good enough for someone else to want to sell it.  Many people have suggested self-publishing as an option, but that doesn't appeal to me at all.  I want someone else to say, "This is good enough."

I have written before about the summer before ninth grade when I attended a creative writing camp.  The very first day of camp, it was apparent to me that I was not the most talented writer in the room, but I could hold my own.  I worked hard all week and was one of the more prolific writers in the group.  At the end of the week, I expressed disappointment that the camp had come to an end so soon.  I was the only one.  Everyone else was glad it was over.

The teacher, Mrs. Stanley, wrote us each a letter at the end of the week.  To me, she wrote: "Michelle, You are way ahead of most students in your writing.  You should be able to do whatever you want with it."  These words had a profound affect on me.  They confirmed what I knew, I am not the most talented writer ever, but if I work hard at it, I should be able to do whatever I want.  Desire is the key. 

In an episode of the TV series, "Freaks and Geeks," Nick Andropolis, whose efforts toward becoming a drummer keep being dashed, is staying with Lindsey's family.  He claims to Mr. Weir that listening to great drummers is his homework.
Mr. Weir says, "If you were really a drummer, then your homework would be practicing your drums."
Nick protests, "Well, I'd like to practice my drums, you know, but my dad gave them away."
"Well then," says Mr. Weir, "you go out and you get two sticks and you beat them on a rock."

The message here, of course, is that practice is the key to become good and you never let anyone or anything stand in your way to achieve your dream.  Later on, Nick gives up drumming for disco dancing and I don't know what the message is in that, but I do now that no matter what happens with this contest (or next year's contest, or my attempts to find an agent), the most important thing for me to do is to keep writing - to keep beating my sticks on a rock.  Because as hard as the writing process is, I still feel better when I'm writing, then when I'm not. 

We've Got a Winner!!!!

Remember when I told you that if my students entered enough writing contests, at least one of them would be sure to win?  Well, it happened a bit sooner than I thought!  One of my seventh grade students received a letter yesterday from Utah Central Credit Union stating that they were so impressed with his entry, they were inspired to create a special award for English Language Learners.  He received a certificate and a $25 prize for his essay about his greatest life lesson. 

The kids have been asking me, "What would you do if one of us actually won a writing contest?" 

I always say, "I would run screaming and yelling down the hall and brag to EVERYONE I knew!"  I did just that.  The student was so shocked, he didn't have much to say, but hopefully it sinks in when we present his certificate at the school-wide awards assembly in January.

I will be writing a thank you letter to the folks at UCCU for looking beyond grammatical and spelling mistakes to the heart of what an essay is really about.  Here's to the immigrant spirit!!!