Thursday, April 29, 2010
Juke Joint Writing Contest 2010
Juke Joint Winners:
Category one: 7th graders
First Place and Best of Show: 7th grade - His Life, My Story- Jordon Sales
2nd place 7th grade: A Strong Black Sista - Oshur Fluker
3rd Place tie : A Wall of Blues- Erica Martin
3rd Place tie : Annette Rochelle Hopper- Shamia Hopper
Honorable Mention: The Sacred Teacher- Hertayshia Thomas
Category 2: 8th-10th graders
First place: Wilson vs. Webster - Christopher Wilson
Second place: Will Townsend: A Brave Young Man - Craig Stewart
Third Place: The Delta's Own Indiana Jones - Lane Herrin
Honorable Mention: From a Twelve Year Olds Point of View
Category 3: 11-12th graders
First place: The Life of Darren Williams - Jaleesa Jermial Collins
Second Place : A Letter to my Great, Great Grandmother - Markeeriez Hill
Friday, April 23, 2010
Virginia Schafer to be Inducted into the Mississippi Writers Guild
On April 24th in Clarksdale, Our own President, Virginia Schafer will become one of the Board Members of the State organization - the Mississippi Writers Guild "I look forward to opening up communication on a state level, networking and utilizing the state resources to promote literary functions and education in our state....especially the Delta."
In the Planning stage: The Next annual Delta Blues Event -
In the Planning stage: The Next annual Delta Blues Event -
Dick Lourie at DWA April Meeting
Dick Lourie, professor and editor and author (POET) and musician was our guest speaker at the April meeting of the DWA which took place in the Meeting room at the Clarksdale Library. Lourie read from his poem about the Delta - If the Delta Was the Sea - which amused many of the guests - since they could recognized the people and places in the poem. It was a full house - with standing room only and we look forward to seeing Lourie again during the Music Festivals. He comes down from Boston to Clarksdale- twice a year to play his sax and enjoy the Blues. The Hanging Loose Press is one of the oldest , independent publishing houses in the U.S. that specializes in poetry.
The DWA meets the 3rd thurday of the month at the library's meeting room at 6 pm
Juke Joint Writing Contest 2010
The Juke Joint was a success again this year...bigger and better than ever. We at the DWA handed out entry forms to all of the local schools and as usual...you never know what you will get back and from where. Sometimes you think the school (or administration) may be the motivator, and sometimes the teacher may do an assignment for the contest, and other times you have individual students that take it upon themselves to create an outstanding submission.
This year...Gloria Nolan from Oakhurst Middleschool gets the teacher's award in my opinion. Love to hear from Oakhurst first of all..and secondly...her 7th grade students handed in awesome submissions...mostly poems...very heartfelt and moving. Our theme this year was Delta Folks and we encouraged students to also submit pictures or art work of their 'folk'. We got one on Morgan Freeman and even though the student didnt win...I am going to get this dedicated poem to Mr. Freeman. (Rock River - his nonprofit-also helped sponnsor this contest) The Friends of the Library in Clarksdale did too !
All of the submissions were exhibited in the Delta Ave Art Building during the Festival and the awards ceremony will be this Sunday at 1 pm.
We will officially announce the winners then. We got entries from Lee, Oakhurst, CCJHS , Clarksdale High SChool, and West Tallahatchie High School. Most of students were from the 7th grade so we moved our categories around a little to get max winners. OUr categories werer 7th, 8-10th, 11-12th grade. We had a few from 4th and 5th as late entries which did not get in the voting before deadline...but they were exhibited as well. All participants will get a framed certificate and winners will get a few dollars cash prize and their teachers will get a check from Juke Joint coordinators.
This year...Gloria Nolan from Oakhurst Middleschool gets the teacher's award in my opinion. Love to hear from Oakhurst first of all..and secondly...her 7th grade students handed in awesome submissions...mostly poems...very heartfelt and moving. Our theme this year was Delta Folks and we encouraged students to also submit pictures or art work of their 'folk'. We got one on Morgan Freeman and even though the student didnt win...I am going to get this dedicated poem to Mr. Freeman. (Rock River - his nonprofit-also helped sponnsor this contest) The Friends of the Library in Clarksdale did too !
All of the submissions were exhibited in the Delta Ave Art Building during the Festival and the awards ceremony will be this Sunday at 1 pm.
We will officially announce the winners then. We got entries from Lee, Oakhurst, CCJHS , Clarksdale High SChool, and West Tallahatchie High School. Most of students were from the 7th grade so we moved our categories around a little to get max winners. OUr categories werer 7th, 8-10th, 11-12th grade. We had a few from 4th and 5th as late entries which did not get in the voting before deadline...but they were exhibited as well. All participants will get a framed certificate and winners will get a few dollars cash prize and their teachers will get a check from Juke Joint coordinators.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Delta Blues Writing Contest for Students
Hi I am back...I have been so busy with the Delta Blues Event and other happenings...that I have long neglected the blog! Shame on Me!
The Event was a success! and I am still flying high! Can you imagine the authors from the Delta Crime anthology...here in the Delta (Clarksdale) under one roof and Morgan Freeman to boot!
I ran over to Charleston(Miss) to ask for the prize money from Rock RIver Foundation (Morgan and Bill Luckett's giving foundation). Tyrus books is donating some of the funds from the sale of the Delta Blue book to the RRF. I hope the editorial (maybe not the place) in the paper gets printed as alot of people and organizations chipped in and helped. THe Chamber of COmmerce provided the eats (and good eats!) at the reception at Cutrer and the gift baskets for the winning students and set up and cleaned up...thanks so much.
Then John at Gary Vincent studio took the music blues band of authors under his wing and get them a few days of practice in the big studio. They sounded awesome at their debut at Ground Zero in a standing room only full house of fans! Then Mac Crank was wonderful...getting the bus station/visitor's center together for the award ceremony and booksigning. That was also a full house. Thanks Bill Luckett for getting Morgan to the event...the students and authors and participants were awestruck.....it will certainly be a great lead in for next year! although I dont know if this one can be beat! Thanks to the gang at the DWA and the hotels and resturants that were so nice to our out of town guests (YES...lots of them!). They will be coming back so sure.
and dont forget that there are still copies of the Delta Blues book for sale....this is a pre-release and the release is not until May...so we have been honored!
The Event was a success! and I am still flying high! Can you imagine the authors from the Delta Crime anthology...here in the Delta (Clarksdale) under one roof and Morgan Freeman to boot!
I ran over to Charleston(Miss) to ask for the prize money from Rock RIver Foundation (Morgan and Bill Luckett's giving foundation). Tyrus books is donating some of the funds from the sale of the Delta Blue book to the RRF. I hope the editorial (maybe not the place) in the paper gets printed as alot of people and organizations chipped in and helped. THe Chamber of COmmerce provided the eats (and good eats!) at the reception at Cutrer and the gift baskets for the winning students and set up and cleaned up...thanks so much.
Then John at Gary Vincent studio took the music blues band of authors under his wing and get them a few days of practice in the big studio. They sounded awesome at their debut at Ground Zero in a standing room only full house of fans! Then Mac Crank was wonderful...getting the bus station/visitor's center together for the award ceremony and booksigning. That was also a full house. Thanks Bill Luckett for getting Morgan to the event...the students and authors and participants were awestruck.....it will certainly be a great lead in for next year! although I dont know if this one can be beat! Thanks to the gang at the DWA and the hotels and resturants that were so nice to our out of town guests (YES...lots of them!). They will be coming back so sure.
and dont forget that there are still copies of the Delta Blues book for sale....this is a pre-release and the release is not until May...so we have been honored!
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