SAIPAN — The Northern Marianas Humanities Council is inviting CNMI high school students from public and private schools to enter a special edition of its annual My Marianas Writing Contest tied to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, with cash prizes for top entries and publication opportunities for winners.
The contest, titled A250: My Marianas Writing Contest, asks students to submit personal narrative essays responding to three prompts: a specific experience that captures what it means to be from the CNMI, how that experience reflects the CNMI as part of or apart from the United States, and the student’s vision for the CNMI’s relationship with the United States over the next 50 years.
NMHC said cash prizes will be awarded to the top three entries: $500 for first place, $400 for second, and $300 for third. Top essays will be compiled into a published anthology to be shared with winners, their schools, the CNMI Public School System, and the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library. NMHC said winning submissions will also be published across print, broadcast and social media platforms.
The submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. April 17, and entries must be emailed in PDF format to info@nmhcouncil.org. NMHC said submissions must include a publishing consent form available on the council’s website, where students can also find formatting requirements and the scoring rubric.
NMHC said this year’s contest is inspired by two milestones: the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the 50th anniversary of the Covenant establishing the CNMI in political union with the United States.
