Aging Together invites students of public and private schools and homeschooled
students living in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange or Rappahannock counties to
tell us the story of one of the many remarkable seniors you know . You decide what’s
remarkable. Maybe you have a grandparent who started a new sport or job after
retirement. Maybe one of your neighbors now cares for a family member, just got his
driver’s license or hiked a mountain or trail. Spend some time with them and write
their story for us.
Essay Criteria
• Student essays should be based on an interview with a local senior and describe an
accomplishment or experience that occurred after the senior turned 65.
• The essay must be at least 750 words and can not exceed 1000 words
• Essays will be judged on the quality of the writing, grammar, punctuation, and spelling, not
how dramatic or exciting the senior’s story is. It’s all about how you write the story.
• All essays must be submitted with a completed registration form.
Judging
• Essays will be judged by the Aging Together Communications Advisory Committee, which
includes writers and other communications professionals.
• Essays will be judged in two grade groups: 6th ‐ 8th grades and 9th ‐ 12th grades.
• One winner and two honorable mentions will be selected for each grade group in each county.
That’s a total of 2 winners and 4 honorable mentions in each county.
Prizes
• The winners in each county will receive a $50 gift card and will have their essays published in
their local newspaper and on the Aging Together website.
• Those selected as honorable mentions will receive certificates and will have their essays
published on the Aging Together website.
Deadline
• The essay and completed registration form must be received in the Aging Together office
by 5:00 pm, December 15, 2010.
• Awards will be announced by April, 2011 and will be published during Older American’s
Month—May, 2011.
A Regional
Essay
Contest for
Students in
Grades 6-12
For more information or to contact us regarding Aging Remarkably please contact - Orange Resource Specialist, Nancy Rhoades at 540-718-0620, or nrhoades@agingtogether.org
