For Mississippi Students in Grades 7–12
The Eudora Welty Foundation, in partnership with the Eudora Welty House & Garden, administers the Scholastic Writing Awards.
OVERVIEW
Students in grades 7–12, ages 13 years or older, from public, private, or home schools in Mississippi may submit original work in nine categories: dramatic script, flash fiction, humor, journalism, personal essay/memoir, persuasive writing, poetry, science fiction, and short story. High school seniors may submit writing portfolios containing 4–6 works from multiple genres.
To Participate
Registration for the 2023 Scholastic Writing Awards will open September 1, 2023. All interested students should create an online account at artandwriting.org/regions/MS001W. Writing entries can then be uploaded directly to the student account. All submission forms and fees or fee waivers should be mailed to:
Scholastic Writing Awards
1119 Pinehurst Street
Jackson, MS 39202
ENTRY FEES
Individual entries are $10 per entry. Senior portfolios are $30. Checks and money orders should be made payable to the Eudora Welty Foundation. Fee waivers are available to students who otherwise would be unable to participate.
DEADLINES AND ADJUDICATION
The submission deadline is December 15, 2023. All entries must be uploaded to the online system by 5 p.m. Following the deadline, entries will undergo a blind adjudication—judges do not know which students produced the work or what schools they attend. Entries are scored by a minimum of two judges. Scoring takes place on a 1–10 scale based on originality, technique, and personal voice. Judges are selected from writers, teachers, college faculty, and members of the community who are knowledgeable about writing and who have an interest in student writing.
AWARDS
At the regional level, works can be awarded Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention. All works receiving the Gold Key designation are forwarded to New York to undergo adjudication at the national level. Five regional Gold Key recipients are nominated for an American Voices Award, which is a best-in-region award. These entries undergo a separate adjudication in New York, and one of them is named the American Voices Medalist for the Mississippi Region. Regional award winners will be notified via student accounts on January 31, 2024.
REGIONAL CEREMONY
The regional awards ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on a Sunday in April 2024 (date TBA), on the front lawn of the Eudora Welty House & Garden. Students receive certificates and pins, and student readers are featured as part of the program.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the Scholastic Writing Awards, please call 601-353-7762 or email info@eudoraweltyhouse.com.
Thank You to Our Sponsor
A generous grant from the C Spire Foundation allows the Eudora Welty Foundation, Eudora Welty House & Garden, and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to administer the awards. For information about submitting work, please visit www.artandwriting.org.
