Contest: Utah's Eleventh Annual Do the Write Thing Challenge
Genre: Essay or poem
Theme: The impact of youth violence in our community and what can be done about it.
Prize: Certificates, publication, recognition luncheon, two student from Utah will win a trip to D.C.
Publication: Booklet of essays available at www.juvenile.utah.gov (top essays will be published and placed in the Library of Congress
Odds of winning: 12 winners in the state of Utah
I had students participate in this challenge about three years ago. I had three students receive honorable mention, which included a certificate signed by the governor.
In January, I had a student teacher take over the majority of my classes, so I had only fourteen students participate in the challenge this year. It was very difficult as it was a topic that hit close to home for most of them. We read a lot of examples, had a lot of discussion, and I brought in a guest speaker from the Colors of Success program to help. One student said, "C'mon, Stimpson, give us any other topic and we'll write it. This one is just too hard." That comment made me realize how important it was for us to keep going and with the project.
During the last week of the challenge, the Arizona shooting happened. On a day I was absent, my assistant, Stephanie Hunt had the magic words to unlock their pens. They wrote about the tragic shooting, they wrote about their own lives, they wrote about how they could be voices against violence in their communities, in the hallways, in their essays.
Only about seven students actually brought signed permission slips, but I feel extremely confident that some of them will receive some recognition. Their essays are heartbreaking and beautiful.
This one was a real bonding experience for all of us. I appreciate the adult help I got on this one.
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