Washington Youth Tour Writing Contest Resources

Washington Youth Tour Writing Contest Resources

The 2008 Washington Youth Tour Writing Contest is open to high school juniors enrolled in the seven public high schools in the Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative service area. They are: Bledsoe County High School, Grundy County High School, Marion County High School, Richard Hardy Memorial School, Sequatchie County High School, South Pittsburg High School and Whitwell High School.

Every short story should be titled "Electric Cooperatives: Energizing our Communities."

This year's assignment is to write a short story describing how your electric cooperative energizes your community by taking an active role in improving lives across its service area.

Submissions must not exceed 900 words, including articles ("a," "an" and "the"). The exact word count must be included on your cover page.

They must be type-written and double-spaced.

Your teacher will give you the deadline for turning it in to him/her. He/she will grade the stories and return the best 4-5 to the students who wrote them to make corrections. These top stories from each high school will be turned in to SVEC without names for judging. After being judged by a panel of judges, the co-op will contact the teacher to identify the winners.

A first, second and third place winner will be named from each school. The first place winner will receive an expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., June 13-19, 2008 as a participant in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's Washington Youth Tour. The second and third place winners will each receive a $50 savings bond.

One story will be selected from the seven first-place stories to be entered in the state-wide contest. The awards at the state level are college scholarships - $3000 for 1st, $2000 for 2nd and $1000 for 3rd.

Getting Started

Be creative in your writing, utilizing the information in the booklet you received from your English teacher and your own distinctive voice. Write concisely, making each word or phrase work to support your theme. Establish this theme early and refer back to it throughout your story. As always, use correct grammar. Your writing will be judged on the four factors below.

Originality: 35%

A different, entertaining, effective way of presenting information that will educate the reader and get the writer's points across

Appropriate treatment of the theme: 25%

Weaving the information relating to theme effectively throughout the story

Grammar and composition: 15%

If you need an explanation here, check your English textbook.

Knowledge of the subject: 25%

Indications of additional research, a grasp of what information is vital to making your story believable and credible and creative ways of presenting that information

Sources of Information:

Links to Tennessee's Electric Cooperatives - Check out these links to see what valuable services that co-ops across the state are providing for their members.

Facts about SVEC - History, information and links to how SVEC is "Energizing our Communities."

History of SVEC

History of SVEC's Youth Tour Program

Our Directors - These elected individuals represent the people of their district in controlling the co-op.

Green Power Switch

2005's SVEC winning story and 2nd place in the State Contest - 2nd page of this Tennessee Magazine section.