Aspiring young authors, writing aficionados, and students with great stories to share about agriculture have the opportunity to be published! November 1 is the deadline for California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom’s (CFAITC) annual story-writing contest. Last year, more than 1,000 stories were written and six state-winning stories were selected and published in the Imagine this… Stories Inspired by Agriculture book.
Agriculture is all around us! Encourage students to get out their pencils and think creatively about an experience they have had that involves food, fiber, and/or any topic related to agriculture. The contest is open to all third through eighth grade students attending public, private, charter, and home schools in California. Stories can be fiction or non-fiction and should reflect California agriculture in a positive light.
From the stories submitted, six state winners (one from each grade level) will be selected to have his or her story illustrated by high school art students and professionally published in book format. State winners, along with their teachers and parents, will be treated to a trip to Sacramento and honored at an awards ceremony where they will receive awards including medals, an e-reader, and resources for their teachers.
Forty-eight regional winners will be recognized throughout the state. These students will receive plaques, books, and teacher resources for their participation.
The Imagine this… Story Writing Contest reminds students and teachers of the countless ways we are all supported and affected by farmers and ranchers by encouraging the investigation and expression of the world around us. Besides creating more awareness of California’s food and fiber production, the contest also satisfies Common Core State Standards for writing and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects for grades three through eight.
The deadline for story submission is November 1, 2020. Entry forms, contest rules, and easy ways to incorporate Imagine this… into your classroom can be found at the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom’s website, www.LearnAboutAg.org/imaginethis.