Missed opportunity

Contest:  Utah Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education: Narratives of Bravery and Hope

Genre:  Essay

Theme:  What makes Utah home?  What challenges have your faced in making Utah home and how have those challenges made you grow? be brave? have hope?

Prize: $1000 college scholarship

Publication:  Essay booklet available to the public

Odds of winning:  Five winners in Utah (2 middle school; 3 high school)

For more information:  www.utahname.org

I am so mad!!!!!  I can not believe I missed this contest.  It was due February 18 and I only just remembered it a couple of weeks ago.  I had all my students enter last year and though none of them won the contest, I learned so much about them from their essays, that I compiled them all into a book for my faculty.  Many teachers told me that they appreciated the essays (the theme was "what makes you diverse living in Utah?")  It was amazing to read how acutely aware students are of their differences in race, nationality, language, and ability.  (Not one single student wrote about being a different religion).  This contest is catered so specifically to my students that it was one of the reasons I decided to have students enter more contests. 
So, how did I forget?  Well, I didn't get a flyer this year, like I did last year.  And January and February were so busy with so many other contests that it didn't occur to me to look for more.
Even though we missed the deadline, I am considering having my students write the essays anyway, just because I want to hear what they have to say.  I could make a second book for the faculty as well. 
I am writing about this to vent my anger and to remind myself to do this one next year.
As I'm getting toward the end of the school year, I've been reflecting on this process.  It has been a lot of work, but worth it in so many ways.  Having reflected on each contest will help me decide which ones I will do in the future with which students.  I don't think it makes sense to do ALL contests with ALL students, but since I will have most students for two periods next year, it won't hurt to have a lot of options and spread the contests around.
Anyway, trying to get over this missed opportunity . . . that theme is so good, though, will definitely use that prompt in the future!!