ANNAPOLIS — The contest, which is sponsored by Anne Arundel Peace Action, the Maryland Peace Action Education Fund, the Benjamin Peace Foundation and the Peace and Justice Center of Annapolis Friends Meeting, is open to all 7th and 8th grade students enrolled in public or private schools in Maryland and to home-schooled students corresponding to the same grade levels. This is the eighteenth consecutive year the contest has been conducted.
Four cash prizes will be awarded: $350 for first place, $250 for second place, $150 for third place, and $100 for fourth place. The winners will be honored at a special ceremony, although attendance is not required to receive an award.
To enter, students must submit an entry of up to 1,200 words on this topic:
“You learn that a friend at school has received repeated cruel and intimidating text messages from other classmates. Some of these communications have even suggested that your friend deserves to be hurt in some way. Your friend also has been contacted in this manner by text messages and email and through social media such as Facebook, MySpace, Tumblr and Formspring. You realize that these actions are not a joke and need to be stopped. You decide to work with other students to develop a strategy for ending the cyber bullying. Explain what you will do.”
Entries must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet including the student’s name, address and phone number or e-mail address; school’s name, address and phone number; and the name of the teacher sponsor if applicable.
Entries and accompanying materials must be postmarked no later than April 30, 2014 and mailed to Fred B. Benjamin Peace Writing Contest, 310 Riverview Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403-3328.
For more information, call 410-263-7409 or e-mail mjkeller@att.net