Preliminary Contest Plans
Grades 3-5 Visual Poem: Students compose visual-poetic texts connecting to PWP’s life as a poet and writer.
Required Content Elements: Students connect to some aspect of PWP’s life in a poem (no longer than 12 lines) that rhymes or works as a free-verse poem. Students illustrate this connection to PWP’s life using original artwork. Students reflect on their composing and designing processes in 2-3 sentences.
Available Formats: Flipsnack or Google Slides
Grades 3-5 Visual Poem: Students compose visual-poetic texts connecting to PWP’s life as a poet and writer.
Required Content Elements: Students connect to some aspect of PWP’s life in a poem (no longer than 12 lines) that rhymes or works as a free-verse poem. Students illustrate this connection to PWP’s life using original artwork. Students reflect on their composing and designing processes in 2-3 sentences.
Available Formats: Flipsnack or Google Slides

grades_3_to_5_flyer.pdf | |
File Size: | 3374 kb |
File Type: |
Grades 6-8 Letter to a Contemporary of PWP: Students compose letters reflecting knowledge of a key actor/supporter in PWP’s life.
Required Content Elements: Students research a central actor or supporter in PWP’s community. Students reflect on the impact of this central actor or supporter and relay in a letter (2-page maximum) their reactions and responses. Students include 2 weblinks that indicate the sources used to learn about PWP and her life (e.g., link to book cover, webarticle, video, etc).
Available Formats: Flipsnack or Google Slides
Required Content Elements: Students research a central actor or supporter in PWP’s community. Students reflect on the impact of this central actor or supporter and relay in a letter (2-page maximum) their reactions and responses. Students include 2 weblinks that indicate the sources used to learn about PWP and her life (e.g., link to book cover, webarticle, video, etc).
Available Formats: Flipsnack or Google Slides

grades_6_to_8_flyer.pdf | |
File Size: | 3395 kb |
File Type: |
Grades 9-12 Multimedia Essay: Students compose visual arguments examining the social impact of PWP’s authorship and life.
Required Content Elements: Students research central contributions of PWP to American life and literature. Students represent this legacy in an interactive slide presentation using 2-3 images (with sources named), 1-2 videos, 2 weblinks that indicate sources used, at least 2 slides of descriptive text, and 1 slide of bibliographic information. Students embed a closing video that reflects on their composing and designing processes in 1-2 minutes.
Available Formats: Google Slides or Canva
Required Content Elements: Students research central contributions of PWP to American life and literature. Students represent this legacy in an interactive slide presentation using 2-3 images (with sources named), 1-2 videos, 2 weblinks that indicate sources used, at least 2 slides of descriptive text, and 1 slide of bibliographic information. Students embed a closing video that reflects on their composing and designing processes in 1-2 minutes.
Available Formats: Google Slides or Canva

grades_9_to_12_flyer.pdf | |
File Size: | 3376 kb |
File Type: |
Criteria:
To enter, please fill out this contest entry form.
For questions, send email to DFWwritesPWP@gmail.com.
Submission Due Date: Monday, September 18, 2023 at 9pm
Award winners will be notified on October 1, 2023 with an award ceremony to follow on October 17 at Texas Christian University.
- Entry must include all required elements
- Entry must adhere to available formats
- Entry draws on relevant, informational research
- Entry demonstrates understanding of genre features
- Entry represents an original, creative vision for addressing the topic
- Entry offers critical insight on PWP
To enter, please fill out this contest entry form.
For questions, send email to DFWwritesPWP@gmail.com.
Submission Due Date: Monday, September 18, 2023 at 9pm
Award winners will be notified on October 1, 2023 with an award ceremony to follow on October 17 at Texas Christian University.