The 17th Annual Doris Dickenson Young Writers Contest

The River Friends of the Guerneville Regional Library proudly presents the 17th annual Doris Dickenson Young Writers Contest. Doris Dickenson was a respected member of the Guerneville community who dedicated her life to teaching, raising her four children, and volunteering for various local causes. She was actively involved in the Guerneville Library, Russian River Senior Center, and Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. 

Dickenson was interested in genealogy and served as an editor for the Sonoma Searcher, the Sonoma County Genealogical Society journal. She also wrote articles for Heritage Review, the journal of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society, and was honored with the Joseph Height Memorial Literary Award. Along with Carmen Finley, she co-authored several biographies and DVDs about the Armstrong family, which were publicly distributed. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

ELIGIBILITY:  

To participate in the essay contest, students must be in grades 6-8 and reside in one of the following Sonoma County school districts: Forestville Union, Fort Ross Elementary, Guerneville Elementary, Kashia Elementary, Monte Rio Elementary, and Montgomery Elementary. Homeschool students are also welcome to participate. We highly encourage all eligible students to enter the contest. 

START/END DATES:  

• Essay due date: Friday, March 1st, 2024, 5 PM 

• Awards ceremony: Saturday, April 6th, 2024, 2-3 PM  

ESSAY REQUIREMENTS: 

• Only one submission per student will be considered. 

• Entries must be the original work of the student. 

• Essays must be 500 to 1,500 words, double-spaced. 

• Please use MLA General Format standards.  

• Essays must be written in English. 

ESSAY PROMPT:  

What does the freedom to read mean to you? 

HOW TO ENTER:  

Submit completed essays with the subject line “young writers contest” to:  

swilkinson@sonomalibrary.org 

SELECTION CRITERIA:  

Please note that the essays you submit for the contest will be evaluated based on originality, creativity, relevance to the given prompt, and adherence to the contest rules. It is crucial to ensure that your essay is free from any spelling or grammatical errors, so kindly proofread it before submitting it. The judging process will be anonymous, and the essays will be evaluated by adult members of the local community who are not affiliated with the participating schools or any of the participants. 

PRIZES:  

First, second, and third-place winners will be chosen for each grade level (sixth, seventh, and eighth grades), and an honorable mention will be given to each grade. First-place winners will receive $100; second place will receive $75; third place will receive $50; and honorable mentions will receive $25. Essayists are encouraged but not required to attend the awards ceremony to celebrate with friends, family, library staff, and volunteers.  

PUBLICITY RELEASE:  

The winning essays may qualify for publication in nearby news outlets if permitted. 

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?  

Email the Guerneville Regional Teen Services Librarian, Stuart Wilkinson, at swilkinson@sonomalibrary.org