Young Writers Contest Ceremony is Saturday

All of last year's winners.

The Sixth Annual La Plume Young Writers’ Contest will host their awards ceremony and book signing on Saturday, December 2 from 5-7 pm at the Miami Conservatory of Music Recital Hall at 2911 Grand Avenue. The ceremony is open to the public. More than 120 students from grades 3-12 who attend Miami Dade County schools entered the contest this year and wrote short stories based on any topic they desired ranging from 1,000 (elementary) to 4,000 words (middle and high school).

Students have the summer to write their stories on themes drawn on their life experiences, inspirations, dreams and personal knowledge for review by a panel of judges that include published writers, editors, actors, journalists, librarians, educators/professors, and artists. The Grand Prize Winner in each level is given a $150 to $350 cash prize and has the story published. Cash and other prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners for each level (Elementary, Middle and High School). During the next academic year, all the winners and finalists are offered free Creative Writing Workshops conducted by a published author.

The La Plume contest was created by the Miami Conservatory of Music, the Bookstore in the Grove and MCA academy in 2011 to encourage young writers attending Coconut Grove schools to express themselves and to provide an opportunity for students to have their work evaluated professionally and published. In 2015 the contest was expanded to include all Miami Dade County school students.

“La Plume has been well received by students and teachers over the years,” according to Brigitte Kishlar, president and founder of the Miami Conservatory of Music and founder of MCA academy. “We’re pleased with the expansion of the contest countywide resulting in a wide spectrum of students with different backgrounds and cultures submitted some very original and engaging compositions.”