2nd Annual Creative Writing Competition Now Open for Students Grades 6-College

2nd Annual Creative Writing Competition Now Open for Students Grades 6-College

The Marathon Writes creative writing competition, launched last year to promote student writing at Marathon High School (MHS), is now a writing contest open for entries from students throughout Monroe County.

Expanded community partnerships and donor support have created opportunities to motivate student writers in Keys public and private schools and to promote creative work at the college level.

Students in grades 6-12 and students attending Florida Keys Community College (FKCC) are invited to submit stories, poetry, plays and essays by March 31, competing for cash prizes and a chance at publication in a portfolio book of winning works.

The contest will award a $100 Grand Prize in each division, $25 prizes for Notable Works and a complimentary book for each winner.

Students can submit in one of three divisions

MHS Division:  open to students attending MHS in grades 6-8 and 9-12.

Open Teen Division: open to students in grades 6-12 who reside in the Florida Keys.

College Division:  open to students enrolled at FKCC.

Judging will emulate adult writing contests.  Published authors and writing instructors will judge manuscripts formatted for blind submission.

Each entry requires a submission form.  Writer guidelines and submission forms are available for pick-up at the Monroe County Public Library, Marathon Branch; MMHS Library/Learning Commons; FKCC Library/Learning Commons, Key West Campus; FKCC offices in the Middle and Upper Keys; and by emailing [email protected].

Marathon Writes is a collaborative project of Monroe County School District  (MCSD), Florida Keys Community College (FKCC) and Monroe County Public Library, Marathon Branch.

The project is sponsored in part by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and private donations.

Additional support is provided by ADK educators’ sorority, participating teachers and the Marathon Writers Workshop.

This year’s competition will build on the positive outcomes of Marathon Writes 2016 which drew 57 entries at MMHS in multiple genres.  A survey of student writers who participated in the 2016 competition showed that: 89% felt more confident about their writing ability, 96% felt more positive about their ability to understand the writing process, 85% intended to apply what they had learned to another writing project and 89% said that the writing competition had made them more aware of community and library resources.

The initiative has four broad goals.  It is designed to motivate creative and critical writing/thinking,  open new gateways for development of student expertise in writing in grades 6 through college,  support student writing through school, college and community partnerships, and build visibility of the Middle Keys as a community of active readers and writers supporting literacy.

For more information call 305.942.1357 or email [email protected] or [email protected].

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