New York, NY (PRWEB) April 20, 2015
According to a recent AACU survey, more than 75 percent of employers say they want to see competency in graduates in key areas that include written and oral communication skills, amongst other key 21st century skill-areas. The Pearson Writing Rewards Contest was created to help increase awareness of the importance of writing; to encourage students to foster these skills, as they are a precursor for success in today's knowledge-based economy; and to show students the rich rewards associated with developing their writing skills.
The 2013-2014 contest was open only to college students currently enrolled in a pre-composition, developmental, or non-credit courses. Five Pearson authors of various English, reading, and writing course materials, who hold 50+ years of experience in the classroom, judged essay submissions, identifying three final winners. The essays were graded on a 1-10 scale based on clarity of writing, organization of the essay, and writing correctness.
The students who communicated in written form most effectively and efficiently were rewarded with a cash prize. The winners and their sponsoring professors are:
1st place: Awarded to Laura Wilson, Owens Community College, Professor: Dr. Kay Blue
2nd place: Awarded to Morgan Faulkner, North Carolina Central University, Professor: Anne McCarthy
3rd place: Awarded to Rachel Shrock-Russell, Chemeketa Community College, Professor: Samuel Snoek-Brown
“I always liked to write but I never thought that I would be a writing contest winner. As a result of this experience, I have more confidence in myself. I’m excited to see where my writing will take me,” said Laura Wilson, student at Owens Community College.
Winners, their teachers, and their writing program administrators will be featured on respective Pearson websites. Winning submissions are eligible for publication in Pearson educational content and throughout Pearson’s online writing courses or MyLab mastery-based learning technology tools.
According to Jilani Warsi, Pearson author and judge of the contest, “Judging student essays is not simply about rewarding the strongest writers. It’s about seeing talent and potential and recognizing it, so that you can inspire students to become their most successful selves.”
Due to the success of the pre-composition contest, the 2014-2015 contest will be opened to composition students, or students who are taking for-credit classes. Applications for this year’s award are due by May 31, 2015. To apply, visit this link.
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Media Contact:
Stacy Skelly, stacy.skelly(at)pearson(dot)com, or 800-745-8489