Getting it ‘write’
Waynesburg University will host the third annual John C. Knox Writing Contest in November.
The contest, sponsored by the Observer Publishing Company, will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, and is free and open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in writing or journalism.
Students attending public, private or home schools in 14 counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia counties are eligible to register before the Oct. 28 deadline.
The contest, hosted by the university’s Department of Communication and student chapter of Society of Professional Journalists, will begin at 9:30 a.m. Students will enter a one-hour press conference with a local newsmaker, followed by a two-hour writing period during which participants will craft feature stories about the object of the press conference.
Brandon Szuminsky, instructor of communication at the university and coordinator of the event, said he hopes the high school students come out of the contest with an understanding of what a career in writing or journalism may be like.
“The most important thing for me about the contest is the way it can serve as an encouragement for high school students who care about writing and have an interest in journalism,” Szuminsky said. “These are increasingly important skill sets, and the contest is one small way to help nurture the next generation of writers and journalists.”
Students will be judged by local journalists, members of the university chapter of Society of Professional Journalists and members of the Department of Communication.
A total of $1,000 will be awarded to the contest winners: $500 to the first-place winner, $300 for second place and $200 for third place. The first-place winner will also see their story published in the university’s student newspaper, the Yellow Jacket. All participants will receive a free T-shirt.
Following the contest, lunch will be provided free of charge in the dining hall. Optional campus tours will be available after lunch.
To register, visit www.waynesburg.edu/knox-writing, or for more information, contact Szuminsky at 724-852-3247 or send an email to bszumins@waynesburg.edu.