<p>i havent tried talking to anyone from the organization... but considering that they said winners would be out by june 15th and its june 27th is enough reason for me not to like them.</p>
<p>anyways, i think both the essays from last year could have been better. sure they were well written and kind of insightful... i guess... but they werent really "deep"... the chinese one was entertaining, although she didnt realize anything while writing it. It was just kind of cut and dry. like... hey i have a weird family and im ok with it... the end. The ashley one i could relate to because my name is dietlinde, but it just lost my attention somewhere along the line. Also, since theres no rule that says it has to be a true story, she could have made it much more insightful. Instead of just someone telling her why her name is special she could have found out herself. i dont know. Maybe theyre just not my style.</p>
<p>i dont expect to win although i could really use the money. But from previous winners it doesnt look like the judges would like how i write. I think both the essays from last year were decent, but not over the top wow that blew me away or anything. </p>
<p>good luck to everyone. sorry the people at the organization are so mean... maybe next year someone should write about their experience with being patient (relating back to this year). heh. bye</p>
<p>National essay contests are really competitive. These guys get thousands and thousands of submissions for the scholarship award.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend applying for local scholarships (I know, they may be smaller dollar amounts), but you have a great chance of winning these local scholarships. Also, make sure that you look into any clubs that you are a member of and any employers you work for regarding scholarships they may offer. I would do the same for my parents as well.</p>
<p>You may also want to take a few moments to check out some scholarship search sites. They can turn up some useful information and only take about 5 mintues to complete a profile.</p>
<p>Last_sundown, I very much enjoyed your essay. As someone mentioned, the imagery was imaginative and certainly effective at conveying your message, which itself felt very real and relevant to me. However, as someone who reads Newsweek cover-to-cover every week, I understand why the piece wasn't selected. Because the rest of the magazine centers on reports and facts, rather than opinion and "ideas", even the editorial/essay section (My Turn) requires a strong grounding in reality. Thus, as a general rule, every essay selected for print must be at least anecdotal, if not downright descriptive. Unfortunately, yours was neither of these. If you had woven in a real, personal experience into the original essay, I think you would have had a great shot at its being included in the magazine. So keep writing! I can tell you enjoy the craft and think that you will only get better and better with practice. Just make sure that you never forget who your audience is and what they are looking for.</p>
<p>hey to anyone who is wondering, they just posted the winners for the "My turn essay contest". Just go to http//<a href="http://www.newsweekeducation.com">www.newsweekeducation.com</a> and scroll down to the space titled "my turn essay contest"
Good luck (i think both first and second place winners are girls)</p>
<p>I entered, and didn't win...but I do think that persianking's comment was unwarranted. The winner's essay was touching (as cheesy as that sounds) and I can't say that I've experienced anything so heartbreaking as she has.</p>
<p>Nameless,
I guess the way I wrote the essay in second person didn't really show it much, but the experience was in fact my own. I was telling about how I felt through the entire span of the two and a half years, but putting the reader in my place rather than continuously saying "I". I suppose that way of writing can only be truly appreciated by a few.</p>
<p>I thank you kindly for your words though :)</p>
<p>I was disappointed that I didn't win even an honorable mention at first, but I started thinking....9000 essays. That's a helluva lot of stuff to read. More than likely, many were scanned over by tired eyes, pushed to the side, thrown out. Who knows if my essay was even read?</p>
<p>In regards to the winners, I was impressed with the first essay and made faces at the second. The life lesson 2nd Place learned was trite and borderline plagiarism considering how often the "I then saw such-and-such for a metaphor for life. Keep trying and never give up" moral is used. I'll be interested to see the runners-up and honorable mentions.</p>
<p>I dunno, it may be different in St. Louis, but here in North Texas it seems like all the black kids who do all the amazing stuff are Nigerian. What else can I say?</p>