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Contest Winners

Here's a list of recipients of Special Merit awards, their schools, and their nominating teachers.

Poems of Exceptional Merit

 

Audio CD (pdf)

IATE's Best Illinois Poetry and Prose Contest

Every year, we publish the best of Illinois poetry and prose written by our students. Talk to your students today about submitting their work to the Best Illinois Poetry and Prose Contest.

IATE Poetry Prose 2011 winners by school

Deadline: The submissions must be post marked no later than January 31. Entry must be submitted by an IATE member.  IATE first year membership is free.

Format

  1. Typed copy is preferred.
  2. Only those submissions made on 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch paper will be accepted.
  3. Only one side of each sheet of paper should be written on.
  4. A submitted copy must be clear, legible, and carefully proofread.
  5. Do not include drawings or illustrations.

Labeling

Each entry should have its own cover sheet stapled to the entry. That cover sheet should state:
  1. Full name of the student
  2. Student's grade level at the time the piece was written
  3. Full name of the school
  4. The school's complete mailing addresss
  5. Full name of the student's teacher, and please indicate if the teacher is an IATE member

Important: The student's name, school's name, and teacher's name must only appear on the cover sheet.

iNSTRUCTOR'S SCHOOL EMAIL ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________________________

Limits

  • No more than five prose and ten poetry entries per teacher
  • No more than one thousand words of prose per entry
  • No more than forty lines of poetry per entry

Some Suggestions from the Judges

  • Please see that students abide by line and word limits. Have them revise and shorten pieces which are exceeding the limits for entries.
  • Please emphasis to students that prose and fiction are not synonymous. Encourage them to explore possibilities of expository essays, arguments, and personal narratives.

Teacher's Letter of Transmittal

Teachers should prepare a signed letter of transmittal to accompany their students' entries.

The document for the letter of transmittal can be downloaded here [doc].

Mail Poetry Submissions to:

IATE Poetry Contest
Robin Murray
Department of English
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920

 

Mail Prose Submissions to:

IATE Prose Contest
Delores Robinson
Division of English
Illinois Valley Community College
815 North Orlando Smith Rd.
Oglesby, Illinois 61348-9692