Update:

The results are in for this year’s district writing contest!  Voices/Voces is an annual writing contest sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Department and is open to all Yakima School District students (grades PK-12) and staff members.  Winners from each category will have their writing published in the district writing anthology, Voices/Voces 2023.  A list of this year’s place winners can be found here. 

In celebration of their writing success, this year’s honorees will be celebrated at the Voices/Voces Writing Awards Ceremony on May 2nd, in the Eisenhower High School Auditorium auditorium at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony is an opportunity to honor the winners as they are presented with a certificate and district writing anthology.

All entries must meet contest guidelines.

1. Entries should not exceed maximum length:
   1. K–5 750 word maximum
   2. 6–8 1000 word maximum
   3. 9–12 1500 word maximum
   4. Staff Entries 1500 word maximum
2. All entries must be submitted using the Voices-Voces 2023 entry form. Note: Entry forms for individual student works require a parent/guardian signature in addition to the student and teacher signatures.
3. Individual submissions must be on 8 1/2" x 11" paper and may be word- processed or legibly handwritten. All pages should be clearly numbered. Name or school must NOT appear on the submission.
4. Submissions are welcome in all languages.
5. Students/staff members may enter multiple categories but may not submit multiple entries within a single category.
6. Topics and language should be appropriate to a general audience.
7. All entries are expected to be the author’s original, unaltered work. Outside references should follow a standard form of citation.
8. Submission deadline for all categories is Friday, February 3, 2023. Please submit your writing, including an entry form, to your teacher. Teachers will send entries via interschool mail to the Writing Contest: Veronica Mercado/Teaching and Learning Department
9. District judges will select winning entries for students and staff based on the characteristics of strong writing, including, but not limited to:
   1. Originality of ideas and expression
   2. Clear organization
   3. Creative voice and vivid details
   4. Meaningful content
   5. Consideration of intended audience
   6. Appropriate use of conventions
10. Winners will be notified by the end of March. Winning selections will be published in a district writing anthology.
11. Please note that all works are edited before going to print, and YSD reserves the right to remove any content.

Direct questions to: ysd-writingcontest@ysd7.org