Illinois students will have chance at a cash prize from the Secretary of State if they like to read and write. Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White announced today the “Letters About Literature” contest for Illinois students in grades 4-12. The contest is also a part of a nationwide contest sponsored by the Library of Congress.
“Letters About Literature in Illinois” invites students to read a book of their choice and write a letter to the author about how the work changed their life or view of the world. Students can enter on their own or through their schools, libraries or other youth organizations.
There are three levels of participation: Level 1 for grades 4-6, Level 2 for grades 7-8 and Level 3 for grades 9-12. All finalists, semi-finalists and honorable mentions will receive certificates mailed to the schools in mid-May in time for end of the year awards ceremonies.
One statewide winner will be selected for each level and receive a $200 cash award. Teachers of the winning students will receive a $100 cash award to purchase books for their school library. Winners and teachers will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Springfield.
Deadline for entry in the contest is December 16th for all competition levels. State winners will be announced in April 2020. For additional information about the competition, contact Bonnie Matheis at 217-558-2065 or bmatheis@ilsos.net. Information is also available on cyberdriveillinois.com.