Timeline, Guidelines & Judgi
A Writing Challenge on Students' Thoughts and Expressions of Ideas on Youth Violence and Prevention
National Recognition Ceremonies in Washington, D.C.
The top boy and top girl writer from Colorado attend the national
recognition ceremony, which is held each summer in Washington, D.C. The
students travel with a parent and their teacher (all expenses paid) to
our nation's capital to celebrate their achievements and meet other
writers from around the country.
| I assigned the "Do the Write Thing Challenge" last year to my two most
diverse and behaviorally challenged classes, and the majority of those
sixty students embraced the assignment. They loved that one of the
criteria was that the teacher shouldn't correct usage, spelling and
mechanics. This seemed to allow a degree of freedom that the students
had not experienced in the classroom before, and somehow encouraged
participation and creativity. Susie Russell Laredo Middle School |
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 I thought this program was great, and I was honored to be a part of it! Thank you!! 2005 8th grade participant |
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| The values we share as human beings are much greater than our
differences. Parents everywhere want their children to grow up happy
and healthy. We want them to have the opportunity to get a good
education and to become productive members of society. Every step we
take toward that goal is a positive one.
First Lady Laura Bush from her letter to the 2005 Challenge participants |
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