Poets will compete in two languages
Multilingual Tucson Unified School District students are invited to participate in a new International Language Poetry Celebration. Students in this program sponsored by the Educational Enrichment Foundation are asked to submit two to three poems to EEF in two languages, one of which must be English.
The program will have these three components:
- One poem will be selected from each student to be published in a booklet in facing format, that is, Russian on the left-hand page, English on the right.
- A panel will select the top six or seven poems and college scholarships will be awarded to the authors of the top three poems--$1,000 for the third- place winner, $2,000 for second-place, and $3,000 for first-place.
- A poetry reading will be held February 26, 2009, at Tucson Magnet High School's auditorium. The top six or seven students will be invited to read their poetry, the scholarships will be announced, and a catered reception will follow. Attendance will be by invitation only. Each student will be encouraged to invite family and friends. Attendance is expected to be 200-300.
More than 80 languages are spoken within TUSD. EEF will attempt to reproduce as many of those languages in their original form as possible. To reproduce these languages, students will be asked to work with the office of Albert Siqueiros, a TUSD chief academic officer, to render their poems into final digital format, such as putting the poems in both languages onto a CD or e-mailing them in both languages to eef@theriver.com).
The poems must be submitted to EEF by Nov. 7 in electronic format (CD or e-mail). Language coaches, who could help students with transcribing their poems into the original language, will be available for Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali, Swahili, Farsi, Urdu, Arabic, O'odham, Yaqui and Spanish.
Language coaches for other languages may also be available. These language coaches will assist the students only in transcribing their poems into written format. The creative work will remain entirely that of the students. Language coaches will be provided through Siqueiros' office at 225-6280.
Creative writing seminars will be offered to students interested in participating in this celebration. Seminar attendance will be entirely voluntary. The seminars are intended to initiate students into the intricacies of creative writing, especially writing poetry in two languages, and to help students submit their best work possible. The seminars will be Sept. 10, 17, and 24 at 2:30 p.m. at the Helen S. Schaefer Poetry Center at 1508 E. Helen St. near the University of Arizona.
Students will be invited to attend one seminar, although three identical seminars will be offered to accommodate all students. The seminars will be conducted by Joshua Garcia of the University of Arizona's Creative Writing Program.
EEF hopes to limit each seminar to 25 students to encourage a workshop environment. Please e-mail a list of interested students to Robert Padilla at EEF. at eef@theriver.com by Sept. 2. Also, indicate which students will need transportation assistance.
These are the submission guidelines:
- Students must be enrolled in a TUSD high school or an alternative education high school.
- Students must have been enrolled within TUSD for at least one year.
- Each student must submit two to three poems.
- Each poem must be in two languages, one of which must be English.
- Submissions must be in electronic format, either in email format with an attachment in MS Word or on a CD.
- Emails must be sent to eef@theriver.com.
- CDs must be delivered to the Educational Enrichment Foundation at 3809 E. Third St., Tucson, AZ 85716.
- No poems will be accepted that portray excessive violence or contain sexual innuendos.
- Poems must be accompanied by a brief biography, four or five sentences, and, if possible, a photo.
- Submissions are due by Friday, Nov. 7, at 4 p.m.
- The poetry reading will be February 26, 2009, at the Tucson Magnet High School auditorium. Winning students will be expected to participate in the reading. Scholarship winners will be announced at that time. A reception will follow.
For more information call Padilla at EEF at 325-8688 or write to eef@theriver.com.