PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest Guidelines
MILWAUKEE PUBLIC TELEVISION’S
19th Annual Writers Contest
PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST
GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS & TEACHERS
- The official rules and entry form are available at www.mptv.org. Please use www.mptv.org for all of your contest information. Just go to our home page and click on the contest icon.
- Children who live in the following southeastern Wisconsin counties should send their entries to MPTV: Dodge, Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha
- The MPTV entry deadline is Monday, March 25, 2013.
- Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations. MPTV will empanel a jury of no fewer than 3 judges to judge local submissions. Submissions will be judged on the following criteria:
- 40% Creativity and originality of plot and/or themes.
- 40% Story structure and use of literary devices.
- 20% relevance, quality and originality of illustration
- Although the official rules do not make reference to a cover (title page), please design an eye-catching cover for the story. This illustrated cover is in addition to the required number of illustrations.
- Although the story is key, the illustrative art is a very important part of the story. Please consider doing more than the required minimum of 5 illustrations.
- Every story must include a completed entry form and a 10 ½ x 13 inch or larger envelope to accommodate the size of the story, without folding the story. Address the return envelope with the child’s name and mailing address (or the school’s mailing address if it is a school submission.) Every story must be either inside or attached to a self-addressed return envelope.
- Send the original story, not a copy of the story. You may choose to make a color copy to keep at home, or in the school, before you send us the original.
- Postage is expensive. We realize that some families or schools may find the cost of mailing in the story (stories) and then providing postage on the return envelope(s) a hardship. Dropping off the story (stories) at the station and picking them up when you are called, may help decrease these costs. MPTV will make every effort to return all stories along with appreciation items in a timely manner. However, MPTV is not required, to return mailed entries unless the entry is accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope of an appropriate size.
- If teachers are submitting their students’ entries in one or more containers, please attach a master list with the names of students, grade level, story titles, the teacher’s name, school address, email address and school phone number. We will call and/or email teachers who have indicated that they will pick up their students’ stories when they are ready. Please be patient. Requesting that all of the entries from a school be returned at the same time in one or more containers takes longer than handling single stories that will be returned in their own self-addressed return envelope with correct postage affixed.
- The mailing/drop off address is as follows:
- Darlyne Haertlein
- Milwaukee Public Television
- 1036 N. 8th Street
- Milwaukee, WI 53233
- All entries will be returned by or before May 30, 2013.
- Dates to remember:
- January 2, 2013- MPTV will begin accepting entries.
- March 25, 2013- MPTV entries are due
- Local judging of entries in April
- April 17, 2013- Twenty winning MPTV stories will be posted on www.mptv.org
- (All MPTV winners are notified directly by phone and email.)
- May 30, 2013- All stories (except 20 winning stories) will be returned by this date
- June 2013 date TBA- Awards Reception for MPTV winners
- June 2013-June 2014 –Interstitials of winning MPTV stories will air on MPTV
- Questions: Darlyne Haertlein, Manager-Community Relations haertled@matc.edu or call 414-297-7518.
Thanks to the Harley-Davidson Foundation and the Jerome J. & Dorothy Holz Foundation for their support of this project.
