May 2013 Writing Contest Prompt:  "Letter to Mom" - Share a special memory about your mother, grandmother, or an important woman in your life.

Details:  In honor of Mother's Day this month, we want to recognize and thank the women who helped raise us.  Think about your Mom, your Grandmother, or any special woman in your life who is or was a source of inspiration.  Now close your eyes and think about what makes that woman special.  Is it her overall characteristics or personality?  Is it a memory of a specific event or moment (serious, sad, or humorous) you shared with your Mom that brings joy to your heart? 

As an added action item for this student writing contest, after you've submitted your essay (submission button is below), share the URL of your post with your Mom.  Send it to her on Facebook.  Tweet the url to her.  Or print it out and mail or give it to her.  However you do it, consider letting her know the positive thoughts and memories you shared about her with the world.

We look forward to reading your "Letter to Mom" essays this month.

Upload your 500 Word (or less) Essay Now...

Essay Title:  When submitting your writing contest essay, title it as follows: 

Letter to Mom:  ____________ [include the phrase "Letter to Mom" as the beginning of your essay title in the Story Title field, but add your own headline following that so your essay title is unique]

Title Examples: 

• Letter to Mom:  My Mom Never Gives Up
  
• Letter to Mom:  She Can't Cook, but She Sure Can Sing!
  

Please be creative with your title, then type or cut and paste your full essay from a program like NotePad or TextEdit (don't use any formatting - just text, please) into the Story Details field.  Adjust the spacing as necessary. 

You may want to check out these tips for good essay writing to be considered a writing contest finalist. 

IMPORTANT TIPS/QUICK RULES: 

• You are welcome to blog on StageofLife.com as much as you want, but only TWO essay submissions per user for this May 2013 writing contest are allowed. 
  
• Title your essay using the instructions above so our Editors can find it in the story feeds in your life stage homepage on the website.  Example:  Here's where all of the high school student submissions get posted - High School 
  
• Editorial Note:  StageofLife.com is a non-partisan literacy initiative.  We judge the writing contest submissions not on the political or religious stance of our teen writers, but rather on how creative, original, passionate, and well written the essays are.  See below for more details on our judging policy.
• Type in your 500 word (or less) essay (or cut and paste it from another program) into the "Story Details" field of the writing contest submission form, which will appear after you click "Submit Essay" above.

NOTE:  You will need to login to submit your writing contest entry.  If you don't have a StageofLife.com login, please register (it's free).

Prize Package:  The winning writer will receive...

• A spot as a Featured Writer on StageofLife.com
• Stage of Life pen
• Prize package for includes 2 Complimentary Movie Tickets from the nation's leading moviegoer destination Fandango.com
  
• A mention and link to your essay in Stage of Life's national monthly press release - here's a link to one of our press releases for reference.
  

Free Essay Contest:

This is a free writing contest.  StageofLife.com does not require a submission fee. TWO ESSAYS ENTRY PER PERSON FOR THIS MONTH'S WRITING CONTEST.  However, you are welcome to blog about your life or other topics outside of this writing contest at any time on StageofLife.com

Contest Deadline:  

May 31, 2013 at midnight Pacific Standard Time (US).  NOTE - the StageofLife.com time stamps all essay in Greenwich Mean Time (England) as we are an international writing initiative.  International student submissions are welcome.

Prize Package and Winner(s): 

Of the submitted essays, one student winner will be selected.  The winner and semi-finalists will be announced here after June 20th, 2013.  Winner and semi-finalists will be contacted by a StageofLife.com staffer via the email used to register for the website.

As we state in our Writing Contest Rules and Judging Criteria, student writers selected as our national essay finalists and winner(s) will demonstrate strong writing skills, a unique point-of-view, personal tone, originality, and realness in their essay. 

"Realness?"  Yes...realness. 

The reason that journalists and organizations ranging from TIME.com to Mint Education have featured our essays (especially our teen posts) in the national media is because our student bloggers all write from the heart.  Real people sharing real stories about their lives.  Combine this with our position as one of the only international, non-partisan, literacy platforms in the world and you'll find Stage of Life an open environment to share your ideas. 

Post Comments: 

We'd like to encourage all participants and readers to make comments on these writing contest essays.  Please just remember to keep all comments/posts/discussions civil and in good taste in each of the essay-blog threads, especially since some of our writing prompts are sensitive in nature.  Nasty comments, personal attacks, or other such comments are not allowed and will be removed should they come to our attention.

Judging:

If you have questions about the rules or judging criteria for our writing contests, you can visit our Rules & Judging Criteria page.

Last Words - Share Your Story: 

Our hope is that your writing contest submission will positively impact others and help with our mission of making the world a better place, one story at a time.  Your essay may inspire others or even better, give you an opportunity to share a story that's simply important to you.

After you've submitted your essay, feel free to share the link to your essay on Facebook or Twitter.  Our essays are judged by real Editors, not popularity, but we do like to spread the word about our national, grassroots writing contest.   Also, please share this writing contest with Language Arts, English and History teachers, or on your blog. 

If you know a teacher who would like a free Stage of Life writing contest poster for his or her classroom, have them contact us.

About:

Read more about StageofLife.com and our mission

THIS WRITING CONTEST HAS ENDED AND IS BEING JUDGED.  READ THE SUMMARY REPORT HERE...

 

Writing Contest Prompt:  "In the News" - What Current National or International News Story Do You Think More Teens and College Students Should Care About, and Why?

• Nuclear armed North Korea's aggressive militaristic talk
• North Dakota passes most restrictive abortion bill in US history
• US Supreme Court debates gay marriage
• Cyprus Banks and Economic issues in the Euro Zone
• Pope includes women for first time in Holy Thursday rite
• US Senate group resolves key immigration issues to move ahead with overhaul of US immigration policy
• China's losing battle against polluters
• Obama makes impassioned plea for gun control legislation
• NCAA Basketball Tournament enters Final 4
• Obamacare
• and many others

Keeping these news headlines (and others you may have recently read, seen, or heard in mind), our question this month is..."What current news story or event should teens and college students care about...and why?"

Answer that question in 500 words or less.  In your essay, consider addressing these questions in a CREATIVE manner...

• What is the particular news story are you most passionate about?
  
• Why do you care about it so much?
• Why should other young people care more about this news story?
• Is there anything you, or others, can do to help make a difference in the outcome of this news story?
  

Prize Package:  The winning writers will receive...

• A spot as a Featured Writer on StageofLife.com
• Stage of Life pen
• Prize package for teen or college student winner that includes 2 Complimentary Movie Tickets from the nation's leading moviegoer destination Fandango.com
  
• A mention and link to your essay in Stage of Life's national monthly press release - here's a link to one of our press releases for reference.
  

Writing Contest Prompt:  When have you applied the phrase "No Fear" in your life?

To view the full summary report and get links to all of the essays for this writing contest...

Teen & College Essay Contest Winner:

• 1st Place Winner:  No Fear: Two Words by brodie.gress (The bathroom was the best place to cry)
• 2nd Place:  No Fear: Accepting Myself in the Midst of Alcoholism by whaleslikebaroque15 (This teen was at the mercy of her dad’s drunk driving too many times)
• 3rd Place:  No Fear: Afraid of myself… and olives by gbuttersnaps (This teen entered a harsh love affair with olives to make a friend)

11 Runners-Up (in no particular order):

1. No Fear: I was entirely alone in a new environment for the first time in my life by pahding (This introvert teen was scared to be alone)

2. No Fear: Cross a Different Street by adeliemelon (Give yourself a chance to start over)

3. No Fear: I have received the title, “A Foreign Exchange Student” by mayeesha (She traveled from her native Bangladesh to go to school in America)

4. No Fear: I couldn’t cross the street by kmac2017 (This teen was hit by a car while running)

5. No Fear: Agoraphobia by K.E. Nave (Going to school is a struggle for this teen)

6. No Fear: Failure will not bring the apocalypse by emsun (Failure is a way to move forward)

7. No Fear: A dramatization of my car ride to the Marine recruiting station by wiserhawk (This teen wanted to make something of his life)

8. No Fear: The National Spelling Bee by Evie (This teen psyched herself out of a great opportunity)

9. No Fear: Learning to Learn by ashilling13 (She was put in a “special” reading group)

10. No Fear: My Battle with Eating Disorders/Self-Esteem by Kamryn Bylsma (This teen struggled with a deadly eating disorder)

11. No Fear: My assumptions of scuba diving took a toll as I sank into the barren sea by michellek925 (Push yourself to do something scary for a new perspective)

20 Semi-Finalists (in no particular order):

1. No Fear: This One is For Me by lookingforanswers (Make a future and happiness for yourself)

2. No Fear: I couldn’t turn back, for there was nowhere to turn back to by NCpollyCA (This teen was nervous to journey by herself)

3. No Fear: Facing the Mindkiller of Ski Racing by Brown Cat (Her fear was paralyzing her before a race)

4. No Fear: I put my shyness aside and put my personal work out there for an application to an arts high school and I didn’t get in by CORINNErose (She feels like she didn’t put herself out there enough)

5. No Fear: I couldn’t speak to my scary, sarcastic English teacher by Catlooby (Teachers are guides, not monsters)

6. No Fear: Good Grades, Good College, Good Job by kat.talerico (Your own happiness is the most important thing)

7. No Fear: Perfection in a Different Light by allyjo96 (Understanding is different than memorizing)

8. No Fear: For I Can Make It by RuzickaW (This teen struggles with wanting to be herself, but also be socially acceptable)

9. No Fear: An Inevitable Future by carinann (The future comes faster than we think/hope)

10. No Fear: My Fear Kept Me From My Passion by Kickadee (She lost her riding confidence)

11. No Fear: Resuscitating My Love of Reading by madgirl1117 (This teen misses reading)

12. No Fear: Hand Grenades by Mortal Couch (This teen didn’t die while handling live grenades)

13. No Fear: Showing My Love by chrysalismist (She strives to show 3 acts of love for her family members everyday)

14. No Fear: Forever alone? by graciechi4 (She is afraid to be alone)

15. No Fear: Why Says I Can’t Speak Spanish? by seenevermore (She knew how to speak, but was afraid)

16. No Fear: Fire Ain’t So Hot! by Ryan Amonta (He lost his cousin to a fire)

17. No Fear: I Found Calm in the Storm by genesis (This teen was afraid to fail math)

18. No Fear: I auditioned for the school’s dance company and made it by MariMo1254 (Overcoming fear leads to good things)

19. No Fear: I repelled down a 100-foot tower by kayla.jang (Life is about stepping outside of your comfort zone)

20. No Fear: Fear is Useless by meowkatz (Positive motivation is more important than fear)

Details:  Every teenager or college students has fears.  Some are things you can touch, like snakes.  Some are situations you want to avoid, like public speaking or test taking.  Some come from childhood stories, like ghosts or monsters.  And some fears are things that unfortunately find us, like terrorism, natural disasters, or cancer.
However, we can't live in the shadows of our fears everyday.  To do so would dishonor the act of living.

So this month, the Stage of Life national writing contest prompt is simple:  "As a teen, how have you applied the phrase "No Fear" in your life?" 

Tell us a story about yourself, in 500 words or less, about how you tackled a fear, whether it's personal, situational, external, or other.  In your essay, consider including these pieces in a CREATIVE manner...

• Identify the fear
• Describe how it was holding you back in life
• Share what you specifically did to conquer it
• And let us know how you're living differently now

Prize Package:  The winning writers will receive...

• A spot as a Featured Writer on StageofLife.com
• Stage of Life pen
• Prize package for teen or college student winner that includes 2 Complimentary Movie Tickets from the nation's leading moviegoer destination Fandango.com
  
• A mention and link to your essay in Stage of Life's national monthly press release - here's a link to a press release for reference.