Student Stowe Prize
For Excellence in Writing to Advance Social Justice
Do you know a high school or college student who writes for social justice and positive change? Make sure they know about the 2012 Student Stowe Prize!
Established by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, to be awarded in 2012
Submission deadline is February 27, 2012
The Student Stowe Prize recognizes outstanding writing by United States high school and college students that motivates positive action for social justice. The Prize recognizes writing that is making a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society. Issues may include, but are not limited to: race, class and gender. Entries must have been published or publicly presented.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, appalled by the injustice of slavery, wroteUncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) as a call to action. Using print media and the familiar literary form of telling a story, she shone a harsh light on the American institution of slavery. The book became an international best seller and galvanized the abolition movement before the Civil War.
Complementing the Harriet Beecher Stowe Prize, presented in 2011 to Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas D. Kristof for Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, the Student Stowe Prize will be presented in alternating years with the Harriet Beecher Stowe Prize.
AWARD DESCRIPTIONS:
Student Stowe Prize for High School Students
The winning student will be featured at a program and award ceremony in Hartford, Connecticut, receive $1,000.00, and have their work published on the Stowe Center website.
The top three finalists will have their work published on the Stowe Center website, receive a certificate of achievement, and be invited to attend the program and award ceremony.
Student Stowe Prize for College Students
The winning student will be featured at a program and award ceremony in Hartford, Connecticut, receive $2,500.00, and have their work published on the Stowe Center website.
The top three finalists will have their work published on the Stowe Center website, receive a certificate of achievement, and be invited to attend the public program and award ceremony.
ELIGIBILITY
High School Students
- The Student Stowe Prize is open to all matriculating high school students in the United States.
- Entries must be original and have been published or publicly presented.
- Entries must meet the criteria of the Student Stowe Prize.
- One submission accepted per entrant.
- Entries must also include completed Student Stowe Prize Entry Form, Impact Statement, Parental/Guardian Release (students under 18 years of age), and Academic Integrity Pledge.
- Entrants must provide 3 adult references that can verify the impact of the work. References must include: Name, Title, and Contact Information.
- Entrants must be able to attend a June 7, 2012 program and award ceremony in Hartford Connecticut. (Travel expenses for winner and parent/guardian provided by the Stowe Center.)
What constitutes “publication”: For all publications, entries must include a description of how and where the work was published. Publication includes local and/or national media, blogs, school publications, scholarly journals, organization publications and magazines.
What constitutes “publicly presented”: For all public presentations, entries must include a description of how and where the work was presented. Publicly presented includes work that has been shared in front of an audience.
College/University Students
- The Student Stowe Prize is open to all matriculating undergraduates at United States colleges and universities.
- Entries must be original and have been published.
- Entries must meet the criteria of the Student Stowe Prize.
- One submission accepted per entrant.
- Entries must also include completed Student Stowe Prize Entry Form, Impact Statement, Parental/Guardian Release (students under 18 years of age), and Academic Integrity Pledge.
- Entrants must provide 3 adult references that can verify the impact of the work. References must include: Name, Title, and Contact Information.
- Entrants must be able to attend a June 7, 2012 program and award ceremony in Hartford, Connecticut. (Travel expenses for winner provided by the Stowe Center)
What constitutes “publication”: For all publications, entries must include a description of how and where the work was published. Publication may include national media, nationally recognized blogs, university publications, scholarly journals, organization publications, and magazines.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
- Entries must be e-mailed or postmarked by February 27, 2012.
- E-mail submissions to: StudentStowePrize@stowecenter.org. Entries should be directly in the body of the e-mail, not attachments.
- Hard copies should be sent to:
Student Stowe Prize
Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
77 Forest Street
Hartford, CT 06105
Click here for the Parental Release Form. Click here for the Academic Integrity Form . Click here for entry form
The Impact Statement should be attached to the entry form.
Please contact StudentStowePrize@stowecenter.org with any questions.
Student Stowe Prize SUBMISSION CRITERIA
• Types of writing can include:
o Short stories, essays, student-created and managed blogs, newspaper articles, editorials, memoirs, news or investigative reporting, poetry, screenplays
• Length should not exceed 1,500 words. For writing exceeding this length, please select portions that will meet the criteria.
• Writing must be written by the entrant, original and published.
o See “Eligibility” for more information on publication requirement
• Quotations and uncommon facts should include proper citations.
• Entries will be judged based on both writing and the action the writing has inspired.
• Entries must focus on a social justice or human rights topic. Possible topics include, but are not limited to: race, class, or gender.
• Attach a statement, of no more than 100 words, describing any impact, follow-up response or change resulting from or inspired by this work.
TIMELINE AND DEADLINES
Student Stowe Prize Timeline and Deadlines:
| Submission deadline |
February 27, 2012 |
| Internal Review of submissions completed |
March 11, 2012 |
| Eligible submissions to Selection Committee |
March 12, 2012 |
Top 3 nominations for each category and winners
recommended by Selection Committee |
April 6, 2012 |
| Winners and alternates approved by Board of Trustees |
April 10, 2012 |
| Student Stowe Prize winners contacted |
April 11, 2012 |
| Student Stowe Prize winners announced |
May 2012 |
| Student Stowe Prize program and award event |
June 7, 2012 |
