Youth & Young Adult Essay Contest
Purpose
To educate the public on measures to reduce access to, and use of, tobacco and nicotine,
and the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine use, plus help prevent the initiation of
tobacco use among youth.
Prize
A US$100 gift card to an establishment that does not sell tobacco products.
Multiple prizes will be awarded. However, there is only one prize per published essay.
Rules
Who
The youth & young adult essay contest is open to anyone under 21 years of age.
This youth & young adult essay contest is sponsored by:
What
To win, write an essay on anti-tobacco measures (i. e. measures to reduce access to tobacco, including electronic cigarettes and liquid nicotine), and have it published as a viewpoint
or opinion piece on the op-ed page of a major daily Florida newspaper.
Possible essay topics include:
- How second hand smoke hurts me.
- What the community can do to prevent teenagers from vaping.
- What we can do about tobacco companies advertising to kids.
- Why all Florida beaches and parks should be tobacco free.
- Why smoking in cars is harmful, especially to children.
When
Now. The contest is on going.
Where
To win, the essay must be published on the op-ed page of a major daily Florida newspaper as a viewpoint, column, or opinion piece.
A letter to the editor does not qualify. A school newspaper does not qualify as a major Florida newspaper. Here is a list
of major daily Florida newspapers.
Why
Besides winning the US$100 gift card, the author will become a published author. The author will
gain a little bit of fame,
and perhaps even earn a merit badge while learning about the perils of tobacco.
How
The essay should be between 350 and 650 words in length and submitted to a major daily Florida newspaper for
publication. A newspaper may request a photograph from the author, and perhaps their school or organizational
affiliation.
Questions and Answers
- Do I have to be a Florida resident?
- No, but the essay must be published in a major daily Florida newspaper.
- Can I have my parents or guardians help me?
- Yes, but you as the author must be under 21 years of age on the date your essay is published.
- Who decides who wins?
- If an editor of a major daily Florida newspaper decides to publish your essay
on the op-ed page as a viewpoint, column, or opinion piece you win.
- Can I win more than one prize?
- Yes. However, there is only one
prize per essay. So, if the same essay is published in several newspapers, you win only one prize.
For example, here is one essay, published by three newspapers with three different headlines.
It would only win one prize because it is, in essence, the same essay.
- When will the newspaper publish my essay?
- We do not know because we are not affiliated with any newspaper. However, from experience, we know that if a
viewpoint or opinion piece is going to be published it may take between three days and three weeks for a newspaper
editor to decide to publish it.
- How do I claim my prize?
- Send an electronic mail to pierobon@pierobon.org with the link to your published essay. You will need to provide proof of age, and a paper copy of your article.
- When will I receive my prize?
- Within two weeks of notifying us of your publication in a major daily Florida newspaper.
- I worked really hard on my essay and submitted it to several newspapers, but it did not get published.
Do I get something for my efforts?
- If you send us your essay along with proof that you submitted your essay to at least three (3)
major daily Florida newspapers we will send to you, for your efforts, a certificate of appreciation
suitable for framing.
- Do you have some reference material to help me get started?
- Yes. Here are several links.
- Do you have an example of a published essay?
- Yes. Here are a few examples.
- Frist winning essay: Tighten the rules on smoking
- Second winning essay: It’s time to quit smoking
- Third winning essay: Teen offers tobacco solution
- Fourth winning essay: Awareness of tobacco clubs can help kids
- Fifth winning essay: Vaping is too dangerous to be allowed to flourish unchecked
- Sixth winning essay: Tobacco, e-cigarette advertising should be further regulated
- Seventh winning essay: Defeating lung cancer in Florida starts with smoking cessation and lung cancer screening
- And another essay: Legislature must make beaches, parks smoke-free
- And another essay: Benefits of tobacco-free outdoors should spark change
- And another essay: It is time for 21
- And another essay: E-cigarettes use among youth at epidemic levels
- And another essay: Raise tobacco-sales age limit to 21
- And another essay: Vaping deserves more scrutiny
- And another essay: Make Florida state parks tobacco-free
- And one more essay: Florida needs to ban secondhand smoke
- See below, or just click here.
