Marshall Universiy - Central West Virginia Writing Project

The Young Writers Contest: Since its beginning in 1984, the Young Writers Contest has been held under the auspices of the West Virginia Writing Project. It is managed by CWVWP at MUGC with the help of the State Department of Education. Young Writers Contest, which is funded by the West Virginia Department of Education and supported by Marshall University Graduate College, the University of Charleston, and the Charleston Daily Mail, has grown to showcase and honor student writers in grades 1 through 12 in every county. Over 800 students, teachers, parents, and proud family members attend the celebration day at the University of Charleston. Such outstanding participation symbolizes the importance of writing for students and their teachers in West Virginia.

2008 Contest Winners

2007 Contest Winners

2007 State Winners of the Young Writers Contest: Shown onstage at the University of Charleston, Geary Auditorium, May 11

Jad Sleiman won the $750 Barbara W. Walters Memorial College Scholarship

Pictured are: Casey Pifer, Freidrich Turner, Cody Osbourne, Morgan Smith, Joey Gallo, Emily Bevins, Chase Cain, Jonathan Scott Rhudy, Kristen Rose, Sage Smith, Addie Lancianese, Samantha Simmons, Karlee Hinkle, Stephanie Branham, Kelydra Welcker, Kyrstin Meyers, and Ashley Kennedy.

| Access the WV Young Writers Anthologies

Contest Guidelines

Teachers and administrators in each county will emphasize writing and encourage students to submit writing for judging at the school and county levels. Writings submitted for judging may be on any topic and must be composed during school hours and supervised by teachers. It is common for students to write a story. | Access Young Writers Contest Plagiarism Policy (pdf)

Classroom teachers will judge entries holistically, and counties will receive announcements of results by middle April. Entries will be judged according to the WV Writing Assessment rubrics for grades 3 - 11. The WV Writing Assessment rubrics are found at the following sites:

Essays submitted in the state competition must not exceed word length below:

Grade levels 1-2 300 words
Grade levels 3-4 500 words
Grade levels 5-6; 7-8 700 words
Grade levels 9-10; 11-12 1,000 words

Entries must be word-processed and double-spaced on 8 ½" by 11" paper. Each entry must be titled. The student’s name and other identifying information may not appear on the essay. A cover sheet and Permission Release and Website Form must be submitted with each entry. Teachers must submit student entries to their County Coordinator in the following order: 1) cover sheet (pdf), 2) Permission Release and Website Form (pdf), 3) essay. Each entry must be stapled.

Entries that fail to follow the guidelines or have not been judged at the county level and submitted by the Young Writers’ County Coordinator will be eliminated. Faxed and e-mailed entries will not be accepted. Students in private schools within the county district may participate. Entries submitted from private schools must follow the guidelines outlined above. Young Writers coordinators are encouraged to share this information with personnel at private schools.

Mail judged county entries to:

Barbara Holmes, Director

Central West Virginia Writing Project (CWVWP)

Marshall University Graduate College

100 Angus Peyton Drive

South Charleston, West Virginia 25303

The deadline for submitting county entries to CWVWP both online and by mail is April 2, 2009.

E-mail Barbara Holmes @ holmes26@marshall.edu or Terry Reale @ treale@access.wv.us for additional information.

Additional Information

· Letter to County Coordinators (*.pdf file)

· Teaching the Writing Process with the West Virginia Writing Project Young Writers Contest (*.pdf file)

· Directions to Upload Six County Winning Entries onto WebCT

· WV Writing Project Young Writers Celebration Day: Attendance at the University of Charleston (*.doc file)

· Directions to the University of Charleston and Area Hotel Information

Last updated December 18, 2007.