Red Ribbon Week Essay Contest

The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment toward the creation of a DRUG-FREE AMERICA.

Who can enter the essay contest? What is the topic?

“All students in the 6th – 8th grade. One School, One Goal, Bully and Drug Free

When is the essay due?

Deadline for this essay contest is Tuesday, November 1

Why should students enter?

·  You will participate in a national campaign against substance abuse

·  You will encourage your peers and community to be drug free

·  Receive a certificate for participation

·  One student from each grade level will receive a special prize.

·  Grand Prize:

o  Your essay will be published in the Mustang Courier Newsletter and on the Counselor’s website

o  You will get a chance to read your essay on the Miller Morning Big Show.

o  SPECIAL GRAND PRIZE

Contest Rules

·  Each entry must include the official Essay Contest Entry Form attached to their essay.

·  Essays must be typed or legibly handwritten in English. (Black ink.)

·  Essays must contain up to 300 words, but no more than 500 words.

·  Any quotations or copyrighted material used in the essay must be identified properly.

·  Essays must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1.

Judging Criteria

Essays will be evaluated based on content, clarity, and organization. See attached rubric.

For more information, see your Language Arts Teacher or one of the counselors.

Red Ribbon Week Essay Contest Entry Form

Name:______Homeroom:______

Grade Level:______

Category / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Ideas / Consistent focus on the topic, great controlling ideas, supporting ideas throughout the paper, response fully addresses reader concerns, appropriate strategies to develop writer’s ideas. / Consistent focus on the topic, well developed controlling ideas, supporting ideas throughout the paper, response addresses reader concerns, and response is appropriate to assigned genre. / Limited focus on topic, minimally developed controlling ideas, supporting ideas are vague, response lacks information, some details are not important, response does not demonstrate genre awareness. / Lack of focus on the topic, lack of controlling ideas, absence of supporting ideas, majority of details are not important, response is inappropriate to the genre.
Organization / Logical sequencing of ideas, introduction engages & sets the stage, conclusion ends without repetition, transitions are varied & extended beyond transitional words. / Structure guides the reader, logical sequencing, introduction sets the stage, and conclusion ends without repetition, logical grouping of ideas, varied transitions link the paper. / Generally clear sequence of ideas, introduction is clear and conclusion provides closure related ideas generally grouped together within paragraph, transitions link parts of the paper. / Writing is formulaic, minimal evidence of sequencing, lack of effective introduction and conclusion, ideas are not arranged in a meaningful order, limited use of transitions.
Style / Keep the audience attention, variety of carefully crafted sentences of varying lengths, structure and beginnings, engaging language. Use of figurative language. / Word choice is engaging, attention to audience in introduction, body and conclusion, consistent voice, sentences vary, some strategies to engage the reader. / Word choice is clear, some variation in sentence length and structure, some appropriate strategies to engage the reader. / Language and tone are uneven, word choice is simple, little variation in sentence structure.
Conventions / Correct end punctuation, variety of subordination and coordinate strategies, correct subject—verb agreement and pronoun—antecedent agreement, correct mechanics, infrequent, if any errors. / Correct end punctuation, few errors, correct mechanics with few errors, errors are generally minor and do not interfere with the meaning. / End punctuation is generally correct, some errors with complex and compound sentences, few very simple, generally correct mechanics, few errors interfere with meaning. / Minimal control in usage, mechanics, and punctuation, errors with compound and complex sentences, frequent errors with usage and/or mechanics, some errors interfere with meaning.

Parent Permission:

I give permission for my child to participate in the Red Ribbon Week Essay Contest. I give permission for his/her essay to appear with his/her picture on the Miller Middle School website and in the Mustang Courier Newsletter.

______

Parent’s Signature Date Phone Number