Colorado high school seniors can display their writing skills and win some extra cash and a scholarship by entering the University of Colorado at Boulder聮s annual University Writing Program essay contest.
Ten finalists will be awarded tuition scholarships to CU-Boulder, with the top three entrants also winning cash awards. The first-prize winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and $300. Second place will receive a $750 scholarship and $200, and the third-place winner takes home a $500 scholarship and $100. Seven "honorable mention" prizes, each with a $250 scholarship, will be given to the runners-up.
"The purpose of the contest is to give students the opportunity to work on a long-term writing project, allowing them to showcase and polish their writing skills before entering the university," said Deborah Viles, the contest聮s co-director.
Interested students should submit two essays -- their best analytical or argumentative essay written in high school from four-to six-pages long, and a personal narrative of two- to three-pages that is inspired by the first paper. Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 16, 2001.
Each entrant must have a faculty sponsor from his or her high school. The sponsor of the first-prize winner will receive the $250 Benjamin and Jeanette Levitt Memorial Teaching Award.
Essays will be judged on organization, use of evidence and detail, and "felicity of expression" by an advisory board made up of faculty from the CU-Boulder University Writing Program and high school teachers, Viles said.
"These students can choose any work they have done in high school, as long as it is an analytical or argumentative essay," she said. "Their submissions can be from history, science or math, they don聮t have to be written strictly for an English class."
The 10 finalists will be notified in March and invited with their sponsoring teachers and parents to an awards ceremony to be held on the CU-Boulder campus April 7.
麻豆淫院 interested in entering the contest must contact Deborah Viles at (303) 492-8188 for an application and information.
All entries must be sent to: High School Essay Contest, University Writing Program, 359 UCB, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0359.