Gathering of Readers Contest

Dear friends,
Here are some "rules" and an announcement for our contest. Please look them over and suggest changes!
Thanks to everyone,
Narda
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The “Gathering of Readers” is pleased to announce a Reading Contest for students in all grades from participating schools. The Reading Contest is offered to students in three levels: Level I is for students in grades Kindergarten through 3; Level II is for students in grades 4 through 7; and Level III is for students in grades 8 through 12.

Members of the Circle of Literacy Task Force will choose winners for each level at each participating school. Each winning student will receive a bag of books and writing supplies as prizes. Each winning student’s work will be published on the “Gathering of Readers” website. All participating students will receive a certificate of merit and a gift.

Level I: Grades Kindergarten through 3
Art Contest:
Students will draw a scene from their favorite book. Drawings should be no larger than 8.5 inches x 14 inches. Students may use crayons, pencils, magic markers, pens or any other medium they like. Drawings may be decorated with scraps of fabric, buttons, lace, etc. Students should include a caption describing the scene they have drawn at the bottom of their picture.
Drawings will be judged on: originality, use of details from the book being depicted and accurate description of the scene being drawn.


Level II: Grades 4 through 7. Write a letter of 250 – 500 words.
Level III: Grades 8 through 12. Write a letter of 500 – 750 words.
Letter Writing Contest:
Students will write a letter addressed to an author (living or deceased) of a book they have recently read and about which they have strong feelings. Students should tell the author how reading their book (include the book’s title) has changed the way they think about themselves and/or the world around them. They should explain how the book affected them. Here are some tips students can use for writing an effective letter:
Do not summarize the plot of the book! Remember, a letter is a correspondence between you and the author not a book report/review.
Avoid the temptation to compliment instead of correspond.
Do include questions that you might want to ask the author about his/her book.
Look for ways to get the reader's attention in your letter.

Each letter should include the student’s name and school address in the upper left corner of the first page of the letter. Letters should be typed or printed using ink (no pencil). Letters must be legible. Illegible letters will be disqualified.

Letters will be judged on : content and organization; originality and expression; and grammatical correctness.

Contest deadline: ???