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Northern Vermont University Scholarships to be Awarded to Winners/Runners Up of 1st Annual Vermont High School Writing Contest

Entries Accepted through November 15, 2021

Scholarships to Northern Vermont University will be awarded to winners and runners up of the 2021-2022 Vermont High School Writing Contest. The winner and runner-up in each category — fiction, non-fiction, and poetry — will receive an NVU scholarship of $1,000 or $500, respectively, renewable for four years, along with cash awards, the opportunity to publish their work in the NVU-based Green Mountains Review and the League of Vermont Writers’ League Lines, and a one-year membership to the League of Vermont Writers.

Co-sponsored by Northern Vermont University and the League of Vermont Writers, the contest is open to all Vermont students in grades 9-12, including those who home school. The deadline for entries is November 15, 2021. Winners will be announced on or about January 15, 2022.

“NVU and the League conceived of the contest to encourage and celebrate the next generation of Vermont writers,” said Tyrone Shaw, professor of writing and literature at Northern Vermont University. “Young writers, especially, need encouragement and support. This contest is designed to provide that, as well as recognize the schools and teachers that provide the foundation of their education.”

NVU’s Johnson campus has long offered a bachelor of fine arts degree in creative writing. The League, founded in 1929, is Vermont’s oldest association of writers and has included many prominent Vermont authors over its long history. When the NVU-Johnson writing department decided to revive the contest, Shaw thought that a partnership with the League would be a natural fit.

The League’s president, Shawn Anderson, agrees. “For many decades, the League has provided a vibrant, nurturing community for Vermont writers of all levels. We think this endeavor will help encourage a new generation of writers and mark the beginning of a wonderful collaboration between NVU, the League, and the Vermont high school community.”

Students are free to choose a theme to explore within one of the three categories, within the 2,000-word limit. One entry per contestant; entries will be judged by three judges in each category. NVU will host an on-campus event in early 2022 to honor these students and their schools, teachers, and families.

Entry forms and submission requirements are available at NorthernVermont.edu/HSWritingContest.

Questions? Please contact Tyrone Shaw at tyrone.shaw@northernvermont.edu or Henry Parker at hank@hankparkerauthor.com (for the League of Vermont Writers) for more information.