Dottie Yeck Good Life Award Writing Contest
Being Good + Doing Good = Having Fun + Being Happy ˜ Dottie Yeck's Life Philosophy
The 2020 Good Life Award Writing Contest is now closed. Read the winning entries!
About This Contest
Honoring the life of Dottie Yeck, a champion of children, who believed that one is never too young to have an impact on the world.
Contest Dates: September 29, 2020 - October 20, 2020
Entrants must live or attend school in Montgomery County, Ohio, and be enrolled in a curriculum for grades 7-9.
You could win the top prize of $3,000! Three additional prizes of $500, $250, and $100. Honorable Mentions will receive a certificate and be individually recognized.
For more information call the Community Outreach Coordinator at 937-610-4429 or send an email to: communityrelations@wcpl.lib.oh.us.
Get Inspired!
- Check out these great books and movies that will inspire you to live a good life!
- Read the winning entries from past years.
- See a list of represented schools.
- Print this Good Life Award contest flyer for your classroom!
Meet Rebecca Esselstein, Ph.D., Astrophysics, Rhodes Scholar, Runner, Rower, Aspiring Astronaut
Rebecca is a graduate of Alter High School (Valedictorian) and the U.S. Air Force Academy (Top Academic Graduate and Top Overall Graduate, 2015) where she studied Astronautical Engineering. She's a native of Washington Township and most recently completed her Ph.D. in Astrophysics at the University of Oxford in England as a Rhodes Scholar. For fun, Rebecca rowed for the Blue Boat at Oxford (2017) and was CoSIDA Women's Div I Track & Field Academic All-American of the Year, 2015. Currently in flight training school, her dream is to become an astronaut.
Eligibility
- Entrants must be enrolled in a curriculum for grades 7 - 9 at the time the entry is submitted.
- Entrants must live or attend school in Montgomery County, Ohio.
- Prior Good Life Award $3000 prize winners are not eligible for this contest.
- Family members of Washington-Centerville Public Library staff and contest judges are not eligible for this contest.
Rules (as an entrant you must...)
- Complete the writing challenge in 300-500 words.
- Entries of less than 300 words or more than 500 words will be disqualified.
- Contest opens on Tuesday, September 29 at 8 A.M.
- Contest closes on Tuesday, October 20 promptly at 8 P.M. (Note the evening deadline!)
- Late entries will not be accepted.
- Submit only one entry per person.
- Certify the work was written by you and expresses your original ideas which you have developed. By submitting your entry to the Good Life Award, you guarantee the work as your own.
- Agree to attend the Good Life Celebration award ceremony virtually via CrowdCast on Thursday, December 10, 2020, if you win either the GLA Award or 2nd, 3rd or 4th place. You may be asked to pre-record your essay.
How to Enter
- Submit entry online using the official online entry form (link visible when contest opens) between September 29 and October 20.
- Copy and paste your final entry into the textbox. (Please be sure that your name and school are NOT included in the main body of your entry.)
2020 Writing Challenge
"The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry." ˜ Robert Burns, Scottish poet and lyricist (1759-1796)
"If 'Plan A' didn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters! Stay cool." ˜ - Anonymous
Step 1: Develop a Plan
Review the criteria by which you will be judged.
Step 2: Write to the Prompt
Invitation:
Think about any plans you may have made for the spring and summer of 2020. In what ways did the pandemic quarantine cause you to look at your life differently?
Prompt:
How did you manage your expectations after the Coronavirus Pandemic caused cancellations and mandatory isolation? Using personal examples, give the reader a sense of how your expectations were impacted by your realities and how your attitude and mindset were affected. Keep in mind Dottie Yeck's philosophy of being good and doing good will result in having fun and being happy.
Judging
- Decisions of the judges are final.
- Adherence to all rules and challenge guidelines are basic requirements of this contest.
- The following criteria will be used to score the essays:
| Criteria | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Clearly Addresses Prompt | Includes a description of the writer's attitude and actions during the recent period of self-isolation with respect to expectations and realities. Writer fully illustrates how they were able to show strength of character, what they learned about themselves (and, possibly others), and how Mrs. Yeck’s philosophy of Being Good + Doing Good = Having Fun + Being Happy can be applied to the situation. | 3 |
| Creativity & Style | Rich details and examples that reveal personality and a strong writer’s voice. Consider citing personal emotions, values, and beliefs. Consider the use of inspirational quotes, poems, songs, or passages, etc., to reflect beliefs. | 3 |
| Clarity of Content | Organized and easy to understand with good ideas for others to consider. Uses all elements of Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. | 3 |
| Accuracy | Writing mechanics and format do not detract from meaning. Content is correct in punctuation and spelling. | 1 |
Awards
- First Place Winner: $3,000
- Second Place Winner: $500
- Third Place Winner: $250
- Fourth Place Winner: $100
- Honorable Mentions: Certificate of Achievement
- A check for $250 will be awarded to the class of the Good Life Award winner.
- Top four winners agree to attend a virtual Good Life Celebration via CrowdCast hosted by Washington-Centerville Public Library on Thursday, December 10, 2020. See details below.
Good Life Celebration
- The 2020 Dottie Yeck Good Life Celebration will be held virtually via CrowdCast on Thursday, December 10, from 7 - 8 PM
- Winners will be recognized and author Fran Kick will help us KICK IT IN with an exciting and dynamic teen leadership presentation!
- Join family, friends, and teachers in celebrating, encouraging, and helping students who are working hard, getting better at what they do, and having fun in the process.
- Advance registration on Crowdcast is required. The link is here: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/dottie-yeck-good-life