19 Feb 2015 AETN accepting entries for PBS KIDS Writers Contest

The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is now accepting entries for the PBS KIDS Writers Contest through Friday, April 10.

The PBS KIDS Writers Contest is a national initiative designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The contest partners with PBS stations nationwide and empowers children in grades K-3 to celebrate creativity and build literacy by writing and illustrating their own stories.

AETN hosts the contest for Arkansas students, and submits first place winning stories to the national contest. Each Arkansas entrant will receive a participation certificate. Twelve winners — three from each grade — will receive an AETN prize pack. In addition, first place winners will be given the opportunity for Clifford the Big Red Dog to visit their school and to tour the AETN studios in Conway.

More than 200 students from across Arkansas entered the contest last year.

Winning stories, as well as contest rules, creative writing resources and entry forms, are available at aetn.org/writerscontest. Additional information is available by emailing [email protected].
Stories may be fact, fiction, prose or poetry. Only one entry will be allowed per person, and stories must be by a single author. Kindergarten and first grade stories must have a minimum of 50 words and a maximum of 200 words. Second and third grade stories must have a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 350 words.

Text must be printed, written legibly or typed. Children who cannot write may dictate their story to be printed, written legibly or typed. Stories must have at least five original, clear and colorful illustrations. Non-English text must be translated on the same page, and the translated text (English text) must adhere to the word count.

Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations. AETN will judge local submissions and send the first place winners from each grade to the national contest. The national winners will receive prizing courtesy of national prizing sponsor: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and PBS.

Stories should be submitted by Friday, April 10, by mail to: AETN – Writers Contest, 350 S. Donaghey, Conway, AR 72034. Arkansas winners will be chosen in April, and the first place winners will be sent to PBS KIDS for entry in the national contest. National winners will be announced during the summer, and the winning stories will be featured on pbskids.org/writerscontest. Arkansas’s 12 winning stories will be featured on aetn.org/kids/writerscontest.