Making a difference...
is what Matters!
ELIGIBILITY
All essay contestants must be currently enrolled in a Cayuga
County school. The contest is divided into three levels: Grades 3
through 5; Grades 6 through 8; and Grades 9 through 12.
Students will be competing only against other students at their
level.
CONTEST TOPIC
Our theme, "Making a difference ... is what matters!," challenges
students to recognize, analyze, and reflect on how they,
someone else or an organization has made a difference in
someone's life or helped make a difference in a community,
Keeping in mind that "Making a difference ...is what matters" can
apply to many things, students should:
· Focus on one main idea that addresses the topic
· Develop the main idea using supportive details
· Reflect on what they discovered or learned from their
main idea and how this made them feel.
ESSAY LENGTH
· Essays may be no more than 500 words in length.
ESSAY FORMAT
Students must adhere to the following format rules; otherwise,
the essay will be disqualified. Students in grades 3 through 5
may submit their essays neatly handwritten on lined paper.
Students from grades 6 through 12 should use the following
format checklist:
The essay must be submitted in hard copy form:
· Typed double-spaced on plain white paper
· In 12-point Times New Roman or Arial
· With the student's first and last name on every page
· With pages numbered and stapled together
HOW TO ENTER
To qualify, entries must adhere to the appropriate Essay Format
(see preceding section). Essays that do not comply with the
format rules will be disqualified.
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, KEEP AT LEAST ONE HARD
COPY OF EACH ESSAY SUBMITTED, AS WELL AS AN
ELECTRONIC FILE. AFTER SELECTING THE WINNERS, WE
WILL REQUEST AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF EACH WINNING
ESSAY.
Send (2) stapled copies along with a completed and signed
"Making a difference...is what matters!" entry form to:
United Way Essay Contest
The Citizen, 25 Dill Street, Auburn, NY 13021.
Entry forms are available at The Citizen offices,
25 Dill Street, Auburn, New York, or online at
DEADLINE
Entries will be accepted by mail or delivery at
The Citizen offices, Dill Street, Auburn, NY 13021,
between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays until the deadline of
Friday, November 2, 2007, at 5:00 p.m.
JUDGING
Entries will be judged by members of The Citizen staff. Scoring
will be based on:
· Mechanics - organization, sentence structure, word
choice, punctuation, grammar, spelling
· Content - how fully the student addresses the essay
topic and develops a response
· Originality of ideas and clarity of expression
CONTEST PRIZES
There will be four grand prize winners county-wide, one for each
of the contest levels. These grand prize winners will be the top
scorers among all eligible essays received by the contest
deadline. Grand prizes are:
· Elementary School Level (Grades 3 through 5)
$50 Gift Certificate from K B Toy and Hobby
Shop at Finger Lakes Mall
· Middle School Level (Grades 6 through 8)
$50 Gift Certificate from Game Stop FYE
at Finger Lakes Mall
· High School Level (Grades 9 through 12)
$50 Gift Certificate from Maurice's
at Finger Lakes Mall
Prize winners will be notified December 6, 2007. Only
winners will be notified. Prizes will be awarded during the United
Way of Cayuga County Annual Wrap-up Event on December 6,
2007 in Auburn, New York. Any winner not present at the event
will be mailed his or her prize.
A County-Wide Essay Contest
Eligibility and Entry Information
