Mundelein Arts Commission Announces Student Short Story Contest

The Mundelein Arts Commission (MAC) is hosting two short story contests for Mundelein students, one for high school students and the other for middle school grades 6-8. Any student who either attends a Mundelein school or lives in Mundelein while attending a non-Mundelein school is eligible to participate in the contests.

The theme for both contests is "Dreams," and students are encouraged to interpret that theme in any way they fit. Stories should be no more than 1,000 words, and the deadline for entering is February 28. Each contest offers cash prizes of $50, $30 and $20 for the three top choices, as well as publication for those and any honorable mentions in an edition of Junior Mundelein Writes: Dreams. Copies of the book will be given to writers included in it, with additional copies available at the Village Hall.

Stories will be judged on the elements of fiction, including plot, conflict, character, point of view, setting, theme, language, narrative devices (dialogue, foreshadowing, irony, suspense), tone/voice, conventions (spelling, punctuation), and structure/organization. The contest judge will be Robin Kacel, tenured English Professor at the College of Lake County, Grayslake. Ms. Kacel holds an MA in English Literature form the University of Chicago and an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. In addition, she oversees the CLC Visiting Writers Program, and has been on the editorial staff of several journals.

Please note that stories should not show the entrant's name or contact information on the story, but that information should be included in a filled-out entry form, signed by both participant and a parent/guardian (for students under 18), as email attachments. Stories accompanied by a separate entry form will then be assigned a number for identification. Participants are advised to obtain and follow the necessary rules, information, and entry form.

This is the second MAC story competition, and the first for younger writers. "We are very excited about encouraging young authors, and hope this contest will help many continue to grow in their writing," said a MAC spokesperson.

Forms can be found at the MAC web site: https://www.mundelein.org/MAC or by contacting jlee@email.mundelein.org.