What is the “Celebrating Women: Student Writing Showcase”?

The purpose of the “Celebrating Women: Student Writing Showcase” is to engage students to honor and celebrate women who have made a real difference in the lives of people in their local communities.

The League of Women Voters (LWV), the showcase sponsor, was founded in 1920, the year women won the right to vote. Our vision has stayed the same since that time:

We envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate.

We are a nonpartisan community organization that encourages active participation in the community and the civic process.

The LWV of South Central Texas works on vital issues of concern to rural counties in our South Central Texas community. We honor and celebrate the work of women who have made Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Gonzales, and Lavaca Counties better through their lives. We want to make the work of these women visible and inspire other women and girls to actively participate, lead, and boldly achieve for themselves and the communities. 

Rules for Student Writers

1. Students must live in Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Gonzales, or Lavaca County.
   
2. Students must be enrolled in a public, parochial, or private school or a home study program.
3. Students must be in grades 9-12.
4. All entries must be the student’s original work and written by only one writer, with no significant guidance from an adult.
5. Entries must be typed and submitted in English.
6. In 12-point type or larger, poems should be no longer than two pages, and essays should be 500-1000 words, double-spaced.  Spoken word entries should be between 3-5 minutes long.
7. Entries must be submitted via the Celebrating Women Student Writing Showcase portal.
8. Entries may be submitted between January 1-31, 2024 and must be received by midnight on January 31, 2024. We are no longer accepting entries.
9. Illustrations or photos contributing to the written piece are acceptable but not required.
10. A parent or guardian must sign the form granting permission for the League of Women Voters of South Central Texas to share the entry and the student’s name and photo at the award event, on the LWV website, and in follow-up publicity, both in print and social media.
11. A signed permission form must accompany each entry.

How to Submit Your Entry

1. Title your essay or poem at the top. Put your name, phone number, and email at the bottom.
2. Save your written entry in Portable Document Format (PDF).
3. For your spoken word entry, speak the title at the beginning, and include your name, phone number, and email at the end.
4. Save your spoken word entry in either a WAV or MP3 file.
5. Download the permission form and get a parent or adult guardian to sign it.
6. Scan your signed permission form.
   
7. To submit your entry, complete the online submission form and double-check to ensure that all fields are complete and accurate.  Part of completing the online submission form includes uploading your entry and permission form.
   
8. Submit your entry!

Participants will receive confirmation upon submission.

Download a PDF of the Showcase Guidelines here
Download the permission form here.

For more information, contact Elota Patton, elotap@hotmail.com.