Sept/Oct 2013 - Inside Chappaqua

Budding Authors Get A Chance to Shine
By Liora Fishman
As winter approaches, the 34th Annual
Friends of the Chappaqua Library
Young Writers Contest will begin to accept
entries from gifted student writers
in the Chappaqua school district.
The contest acknowledges the wide
range of exceptional and inventive
writers in the community and gives all
students the chance to try their hand
at writing a variety of genres, from
poetry to nonfiction to short stories.
The contest accepts student-written
literature and showcases the talent
of the applicants in the form of first,
second and third place prizes. Winners
are presented with certificates and
monetary prizes, and a bound copy of
all the work is placed in the stacks of
the Chappaqua Library.
The Young Writers Contest is a
program offered through Friends of
the Chappaqua Library, a group that
meets monthly to coordinate events
that enhance the community’s interaction
with the Chappaqua Library. The
group hopes to promote creativity and
literary inspiration through the contest
by “encouraging students around
the district to share their writing in a
more public way than just turning it in
for a grade,” explained Cheryl Ehrlich,
coordinator of the Young Writers
Contest.
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24 Inside Chappaqua September/October 2013
Contestants may submit one piece
per category, for a total of three works.
Often, students choose to submit
works they have completed in school,
though some choose to create their
pieces outside of school. Eva Sibinga,
former Greeley student and winner of
the 2012 Young Writers Contest’s Fiction
section, submitted her story
“A Decision at Hopewell” after completing
it for her Creative Writing
class. “That piece was actually the only
thing I've ever submitted to a contest,”
said Sibinga. “I regret not submitting
to the YWC other years, though. I really
love the Chappaqua Library, and
it felt good to participate in something
that they sponsor.”
For many students who often find
themselves immersed in the science
and math departments in school, the
contest is a means for literary expression
and creativity that they would
otherwise be unconnected with. “At
school I'm often very focused on
math and science, [but] I really enjoy
English and I love this outlet–it's my
way of keeping in touch with that side
of me,” said Rachel Neuburger, 2012
Honorable Mention recipient for her
non-fiction piece, “Confessions of an
Obnoxious Vegetarian.”
The contest has a long history of
maintaining integrity in regard to its
choices of winners, insisting on strict
procedures writers must follow in
order for their piece to be reviewed by
the judges. “The Young Writers Contest
has been sponsored by the Friends
of the Chappaqua Library for close
to 35 years, and I just carry on the
traditions that came before me. I've
streamlined certain
procedures,
but the rules don't
change,” added
Ehrlich.
One of those
rules is the “blind”
policy, which
insists that those
submitting pieces
omit their names
on their writing.
Should a writer’s
name be on his or
her entry, the panel
of judges will not review the piece.
“In years past, some coordinators
would white out the names, but really,
this isn't fair to the other submitters
who follow the rules,” said Ehrlich.
However, a new element of the
contest utilizes the ease of the Internet,
allowing submissions to be made
online. This development was first put
into effect in the 2013 Young Writers
Contest, setting the precedent for
the future contests in hopes of being
more environmentally friendly and
straightforward. Students can upload
their work as a PDF to the Chappaqua
Library’s Submittable account.
The Young Writers Contest encourages
students to create a piece of writing
to take pride in and fosters creativity
and experimentation in regard to
students’ writing. “It's a really positive
way to get yourself out there and get
some feedback on your writing, and
get comfortable with the idea of sharing
your form of expression, which can
be scary but is often very rewarding,”
said Sibinga.
Additionally, the contest showcases
the student talent that would otherwise
be unrecognized. “[The Young
Writers Contest] shows how much talent
there is in the district, and I think
it inspires students to throw their
work in the mix and get involved,” said
Neuberger.
Ehrlich couldn’t agree more: “It's as
much about the submitting as the winning,”
she explained. “Sure it's great to
win, but the act of submitting lets you
feel the value in your work. You also
on some level declare to yourself ‘I am
a writer.’ Writing is a life skill that lets
you communicate with and persuade
and move others.”
The deadline for the 2014 Young
Writers Contest, expected to be in late
March, will be announced
shortly.
Liora Fishman is
a senior at Horace
Greeley High School.
Growing up, she loved
the Harry Potter
books.