One Book, One Springfield: Essay Contest

BURNING ISSUES ESSAY CONTEST!

Deadline: April 5, 2006

Contest Guidelines

Entrants must be 12 or older. Teen (12-18) and adult entries will be judged in separate divisions.
Entrants may submit one essay only.
Essay must answer one of the following questions:
1. "If you were one of the 'book people' near the end of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and had to memorize a single book to save it from oblivion, what book would you choose and why?"
OR
2. "What do you think is the most 'burning issue' raised in Fahrenheit 451, and how does it relate to our society today?"

Maximum length is 600 words (2 pages double-spaced, 12 point font).
Essays must be original, unpublished, and written with no outside assistance.
Essays will be judged on the following criteria: staying on topic, providing a distinctive voice with a clear purpose (such as to inform or to entertain), structuring the essay with formal or subtle organization, expressing thoughts clearly, making specific references to the novel, offering an original and creative approach to the question, as well as text free of grammatical and spelling errors.
Manuscripts will not be returned.
Entries must be received (by postal mail, e-mail, or hand-delivery) at any Springfield City Library location by April 5, 2006. Entries may be mailed to:

One Book, One Springfield Essay Contest
Springfield City Library
220 State Street
Springfield, MA 01103

Please submit the essay free of identifying information. A separate cover sheet must be included, listing the following information:

name
address
phone number
e-mail address
age if under 19
essay title
how you heard about the contest

Entries may be e-mailed to onebook@springfieldlibrary.org

If submitting your essays by e-mail, please include the cover sheet information outlined above.

WINNERS

A panel of judges, whose decision will be final, will select a first, second, and third place winner in each division.

Winners will be announced at the 451 Showcase on April 29. First place winners will have the opportunity to read their essays at the showcase. Winning essays will be published on the One Book, One Springfield web site, and each winner will receive a modest prize.