31st Annual NJCL Creative Writing Contest

Topic:  Tell the story of an Olympic hero

Create a fictional Olympic athlete and tell their story. It may be set during the Greek or Roman period of the Olympic Games, but NOT the modern Olympics. Make sure to research the details of the ancient Olympics and cite your sources.

This contest is open to all members of the National Junior Classical League.  All students who submit stories must be registered members of the NJCL in order to win. The names of any winners in attendance at the 2009 NJCL Convention will be announced, although a student does not need to attend the convention in order to enter this contest.

Deadline for entries is Friday, February 13, 2009.  Any entries postmarked later than two days after the deadline will not be judged.

Submit three copies of the story and the original with a cover sheet to:

2009 NJCL Creative Writing Contest
c/o Andrea Stehle
John Paul Stevens High School
600 North Ellison
San Antonio, Texas 78253

If you have any questions about the entry rules or suggestions for future topics, please contact Andrea Stehle

Format:  All entries must:

  • be 900 to 1200 words in length (significantly more or less words will not be judged)

  • be typed and double-spaced

  • have title of story and page number on each page

  • not have the name of the student on the pages of the story

  • have a bibliography (any sources used to research topic must be listed.)

  • not have artwork or plastic covers

  • be proofread

  • have three copies (each stapled separately) in addition to the original with a cover sheet

One cover sheet should be attached to the original with the following information:

    1.  Title of story
    2.  Name of student
    3.  Name, phone number, and e-mail address of the sponsor
    4.  Name and address of school
    5.  Grade level of student
    6.  Level of Latin in which student is enrolled
    7.  Signature of teacher (must be member of ACL)

Judging:  Entries will be judged according to the following criteria:

30% Creativity and originality (concept, imagination, ideas, entertainment value)
10% Quality of content (adherence to topic)
15% Historical accuracy (including bibliography)
15% Organization, development, and clarity (includes length)

10%

 Style (word choice, vocabulary, sentence structure)
10% Mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization)
10% Overall impression

Teachers:  Your signature means you have read the story.  Please verify that students adhere to the topic, proofread their work, include a bibliography, and three copies, and are registered with the National JCL for the 2008-2009 school year.