Array ( [article_id] => 19231 [company_id] => 1 [user_id] => 0 [article_type_id] => 58 [article_seo_url] => empowered [details] => Array ( [Title] => Empowered [Description] => Empower your students with this amazing opportunity to write a poem about something they feel passionately about... [Subheading] => Inspire your students to be confident poets today! [Age] => Middle & High [Intro] =>

Young Writers invites students aged 10 to 18 years old to write a poem for Empowered the amazing new poetry contest designed to help students find their voice and express themselves.

Being able to voice a concern, an opinion, or a point of view is so important, especially when interacting with peers has been restricted or even removed due to the pandemic, reducing your students' opportunities to discuss what matters to them.

There are lots of free resources for you to download, designed to engage and inspire your students. This includes a video, 2 lesson plans as well as example poems, poetry prompt ideas, and a graphic organizer to help support your young writers to plan and write their poems in any poetic style they choose.

If you haven't tried the Online Writing Portal yet (where your students type their work during a lesson or as homework) check it out today via your school's online account.

[Rules] =>

Only one entry per student, there is no limit to the number of entries per school. Teachers please submit your entries altogether where possible!

Ask your students to write/type their poem, ensuring their name, age and school name are included.

Students' poems must be their own work.

Poems can be submitted on the entry form or a sheet of paper or typed (on a computer or using the Online Writing Portal)

Poems can be written in any poetic style & use any poetic techniques but must be inspired by the contest theme.

[School Prizes] =>

1st Prize

The Young Writers' Award of Excellence

2 x Highly Commended

Each school receives a framed certificate

PLUS

Every participating school receives a free copy of the book their students feature in!

[Student Prizes] =>

Our 5 favorite published poets will each win $100!

PLUS

Every entrant receives a bookmark and we award a certificate of merit for all young writers chosen for publication.

(Winners will be chosen from entries received in Apr/May 2022.)

[Tips] =>

Ask your students to close their eyes. Tell them to imagine a bright, warm light shining on their faces.

It fills them up with power and warmth, ability and hope. Feel it soaking into their skin, down to their bones until they are filled with this warmth, this power.

Ask them to think about how it makes them feel, what thoughts are they having? Do they feel stronger, braver, happier? Is there something they feel they could tackle now that they couldn’t before? Does it empower them?

After a few minutes of visualisation, get them to write down their thoughts and feelings, and they can use these to inspire their poem.

Get your students to go online and search for ‘empowering quotes’. Ask them to pick one that interests them.

Do they agree with it? If not why not?

Ask them to think about how it makes them feel, what thoughts are they having? Do they feel stronger, braver, happier? Is there something they feel they could tackle now that they couldn’t before? Does it empower them?

After a few minutes of visualization, get them to write down their thoughts and feelings, and they can use these to inspire their poem mean to them? Do they relate to the words or not?
How do/can they apply it to their own actions?

Invite your students to write a narrative poem that demonstrates the meaning of the quote and shares their views and feelings. It’s a great way to engage them by linking poetry to their interests.

Put your students into pairs and give each pair an issue or talking point – one student should argue for, and the other against. Examples could include social media, the defense budget, renewable energy, animal testing, etc.

The ‘for’ nominee should write a list of pros and the ‘against’ should write a list of cons. Next, they need to turn each point they write into a rhyming couplet whilst trying to use persuasive language to get their points across.

Once they’ve finished, get the pair to read out their couplets alternately. Then get the rest of the class to vote for who they agree with at the end.

Your students will now have balanced arguments on topics that matter to them, they could write their poems inspired by this activity and choose which point of view to write from!

There is no better way to empower your students than action. Small actions can cause a ripple effect and be the thing that causes a huge wave in the world.

Your students can feel their own empowerment and experience this first-hand by getting stuck in and making a change. Encourage your students to do some of the following things to show them the difference they can make:

• Start an online presence- Writing can change people’s lives, and not just for the writer. One of the best writing tips is to write publicly, encourage blog writing or daily tweeting , you never know how your words could impact someone.
• Volunteer- There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer for causes regardless of where you live. Could your students spend some time as a conversation partner with the elderly? Maybe they could gain experience working in a charity thrift store. The potential for impact is everywhere
• Educate- Knowing your stuff on important topics is empowerment in its own form. Encourage your students to read up on something they care about. They can use their knowledge to educate and influence others. It makes a big difference!

[YouTube] => Te5JdkVzyBc [Opens] => 2022-04-07 [Closes] => 2022-06-10 [Extended] => 1 [Orion ID] => 473 [RR Ontraport ID] => [DL Ontraport ID] => 472 [Post Class] => [Orion Teacher Year] => [How to Enter] => [Winners Subheading] => We're delighted to announce the winners... [Winners Intro] =>

Congratulations to our Empowered winners!

We have loved reading all the lovely poems, thank you to everyone who took part. We hope you enjoy reading the winners' wonderful poems.

Each winner receives $100 & a trophy.

Congratulations to our 1st Place School Winner - Jericho High School, NY who has been awarded The Young Writers' Award of Excellence.

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[Independent Rules] =>
[Independent Prizes] =>
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