Published: March 27, 2008 11:49 pm      

Youth to share vision of community through essay contest

Area junior and high school students will have the opportunity to define their vision of the community and possibly win $100.

"My Community – My Vision for Where I Live" is a youth essay contest presented by the Community Foundation of East Mississippi, through a partnership with Mississippi State University's Writing/Thinking Institute and newspaper publications within the foundation's five-county service area – The Meridian Star, The Neshoba Democrat, The Newton Record, The Union Appeal, the Kemper Messenger and the Clarke County Tribune.

Roman Herrington, executive director of The Community Foundation, said young people have something to say.

"Children and youth have some very compelling ideas, things that they would like to say within this area," Herrington said. "This is our opportunity to give them a platform, a voice, to be able to share their ideas about the community."

Essays will be judged in two categories: senior (grades 10-12) and junior (grades 7-9). Prizes will be awarded in each age category; first prize winners will receive $100, second prize winners will receive $50, and third prize winners will receive $25. Essay winners will be recognized in the newspapers and a select few may also be chosen to read their work for Mississippi Public Radio’s Rural Voices Radio program.

In addition, the narratives of the students' thoughts, ideas and opinions about what our community looks like and what they would like for it to be will be included in an exhibit to be presented in the fall at the Meridian Museum of Art.

"We will compile the essays with an art program that will have a narrative side of what the community looks like from the perspective of a youngster, combined with the visual and artistic side of that same question," Herrington said.

The essay contest also will be combined with an arts mini-grant initiative to fund several organizations that work with youth this summer.

"This will provide additional funding for arts programs," Herrington said.

Established in 1984, the Community Foundation of East Mississippi is a nonprofit, charitable foundation that serves to encourage generosity in the communities of East Mississippi.

FYI

Official entry forms, which include all rules and eligibility requirements, must accompany each essay and can be obtained from the offices of participating newspapers or downloaded from the Community Foundation’s Web site at www.cfem.org/publications.php. Essays should be no longer than 1,000 words and must be submitted by April 11. Winners, who will be selected from a panel of judges, will be announced in May.