Our art and writing challenge, named in honor of its founder Dennis T. Thomas, is organized to encourage and support local youth to address issues of peace and social justice through visual art or writing (creative writing or essay). More information about the contest can be found at our dedicated website: https://creatingpeacefulschools.weebly.com/upcoming-events.html
The contest provides middle and high school students with a different topic each year, thereby stimulating classroom discussion on issues affecting their lives. The students produce artwork, essays, creative writing of all sorts and videos on the topic, with scholarships and prizes for winners. At the conclusion of the contest, there is an awards dinner celebrating the students’ achievements. Contest winners, their parents, siblings and teachers, as well as sponsoring donors and the community, are invited to the dinner to honor peaceful creativity and thought.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our awards ceremony this year will take place virtually via Zoom on JUNE 10TH, 2021!
This year’s topic is:
Daring to Dream: What Will Emerge?
We would like students to consider the significance of the past year and the impacts it made on their self-identity, daily lives, families, and concept of the future. We want to hear from students who are attempting to make sense of the chaos we have collectively experienced over the past year. What do you envision emerging from this moment? Where do we go from here and how do we re-build?
We encourage all students to explore their own interpretations of our theme.
The guiding questions below are simply meant to get you started!
- What is something you dare to dream for the betterment of all peoples?
- Many people speak of using this time as an opportunity to reassess things we have taken for granted and work to establish: “a new normal” for society as we return from quarantine. What does this mean to you and would that look like for you?
- What opportunities for growth have this past year provided you? In what ways has this year been especially challenging? How have you / someone you know exhibited resilience during this time?
- When you think of “emergence” in the context of this moment, what comes to mind?
- What actions should you take and/or should our government take to bring forward new possibilities for the future that serve ALL peoples?
- Write a story/poem – envisioning/imagining a more peaceful future for all peoples, beyond this pandemic / current moment.
- What dangers, if any, do you see in an attempt to return to a “state of normalcy”?
Submissions are open to all middle and high school students in Contra Costa County.
COVID-19 Safety:
Due to shelter-in-place ordinances, the Peace Center has closed it’s office in Lafayette for the time being. We are still holding our Art and Writing Contest for this year, along with our Youth Activist Grants but have modified the submission process. Entries no longer need a cover sheet, simply fill out the information and upload a photograph of your visual artwork or a document of your writing.
Our deadline for submissions is MAY 20th, 2021 @ 11:59PM VIA OUR GOOGLE FORM: WWW.TINYURL.COM/AWchallenge2021
To submit visual art, take a birds-eye photograph of your piece, ensuring that it is properly lit and in focus. All writing submissions should be submitted as a WORD or GOOGLE Document, please no PDFs!
Nomination forms for the Youth Activist Grant can be found below and may also be submitted digitally via the same google form. More information about the Youth Activist Grant can be found at the bottom of the page.
Our judging panel will consider all Art and Writing entries and select winners in the following categories:
- Middle School and High School Grand Prize Winners
- $250 each – for outstanding work, all categories considered
- HS First Prize Winners
- Visual Art: $100
- Creative Writing: $100
- Essay: $100
- Middle School First Prize Winners
- Visual Art: $100
- Creative Writing: $100
- Essay: $100
- HS & Middle School Honorable Mentions
- Winners of this category will have their work and name featured on our website / social media pages.
Youth Activist Grant Award 2021
In 2019, the Center established our Youth Activist Grant Award as a way to recognize and honor young people in our community organizing around peace and justice.
We have been inspired by the number of the dedicated and brave students we see taking change into their own hands and speaking truth to power. Youth are showing us the way! We want students to know that they can be powerful instruments of change and that the actions they take can have a huge impact in creating a more just and equitable world for all.
This year, we want to recognize any youth activists (grades 6-12) who have shown remarkable resilience and creativity in adapting their activism to our current moment. We want to hear from the community!
Nomination Forms AVAILABLE BY CLICKING HERE: (SAVE AS PDF) + submit via attachment to the link below: