Connecticut Young Writers Competition
By Denise Coffey
Regional - posted Mon., Feb. 7, 2011
The year 2011 marks the fourteenth year of the Connecticut Young Writers Competition. But it almost didn’t come to pass. Just before Christmas, the competition received a pledge of $10,000 from the Connecticut State University System and a matching amount from the charitable family trust of Glastonbury resident Matthew Daly. Connecticut teens are assured of least one more year of the opportunity to showcase their poetry and prose.
The Connecticut Young Writers Trust is a nonprofit organization whose competition promises cash prizes and possible publication in the literary journal of the Connecticut State University System, the CT Review. The competition is open to all Connecticut teens ages 13 to 18. Writers can submit original entries of poetry or prose by March 15, 2011. The entries must be nominated by a teacher and postmarked before the deadline. Home school students are also encouraged to apply.
A panel of judges will review all entries and determine the prizes and number of finalists. An awards ceremony will be held later in the spring, at which time the top prose and poetry writer will be announced. Their work will be highlighted on the Connecticut State University System website.
More than 750 writers entered the 2010 competition. Josh Bryer of Killingly High School was 2010 poetry champion for his poem, “A Number of Thoughts” from 2010. Teen writers from Windham County can submit their entries to Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St., Willimantic, CT 06226, Attn: Nancy Labonne, Office of Academic Affairs. Call Ron Winter at 860-228-6803 for more information.
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