Students from throughout Lamorinda can win the chance to check out books on Opening Day on Nov. 4 at the new Lafayette Library and Learning Center and receive a POWER of YOUth library card as part of a writing contest, "Why Libraries," sponsored by the City of Lafayette, the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation, the County Library and local schools.
Student works from the contest, which is open to all local children, youth and teens, will be evaluated against others in the same grade division with one winner in each division.
The four age/grade divisions, themes and maximum word counts are:
- Kindergarten through
Grade 2 (or up to age 7), "Why I Like Libraries?"
(maximum 250 words)
- Intermediate Grades 3-5
(or ages 8-10),
"Why I Like Libraries?"
(250 words max.)
- Middle/Junior Grades 6-8
(or ages 11-13), "Why is the
New Lafayette Library and
Learning Center Important
to Me?" (500 words max.)
- Senior Grades 9-12
(or ages 14+),
"Why Are Libraries
Important to Society?"
(1,000 words max.)
Entries may be handwritten or typed, and should reflect grade-appropriate grammar, punctuation, and spelling. While prose and poetry are all accepted, the entry must relate to the theme. A panel of judges will judge the essays based on Creativity, Originality and Relevance to the Theme. (Students should do their best, but misspelled words do not disqualify anyone - a well developed concept is more important than technique.)
Deadline for entries is Oct. 15. Please include the entrant's name, address, phone number and email address on the entry, and include the entrant's name on the back of each page in case pages become separated. Submit entries to the current Lafayette Library, the Lafayette City Offices or your school site office. (Not responsible for lost or late entries.) For more information, please call the Lafayette Library at (925) 283-3872.