Horance G. “Buddy” Davis Writing Competition

The competition is named for Distinguished Service Professor Davis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer for the Gainesville Sun and a renowned professor in the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

Each year, students in the 11th and 12th grades of Alachua County schools are invited to exercise their constitutional right of free speech to write about an issue which they feel needs discussion or correction. Two winners are selected from each grade level.

Monetary awards of $100 for first place and $50 for second place are given in each grade level. Winning articles will be published in the Gainesville Sun and presented orally at one of the Florida Free Speech Forum monthly meetings.

Topics must be about issues that have an effect on the student, his or her family, community or school. Entries will be judged on originality of thought and effectiveness of expression.

COMPETITION RULES:

1. Each entry should be typed, double-spaced, on a single side of the page and edited for publication. Font size should be no smaller than 12-point, no script.
2. The persuasive essay is limited to 1,000 words, one to five pages in length.
3. Each entry must include a separate typed cover sheet including the following:
   1. Student’s name and phone number or e-mail address.
   2. Title of narrative
   3. School/grade
   4. Teacher’s name and school phone number and e-mail address.
   5. Parent verification and permission for publication.
4. Each English/Language Arts, History, or Social Studies teacher and/or debate coach is allowed to submit up to a total of three (3) student entries per grade level. No more than three per teacher in each grade level can be accepted.
5. No student name should appear on the actual essay.
6. Send entries to Dawn Newell, Alachua County Public Schools Secondary Reading/Language Arts Curriculum Specialist, (352) 955-7584, through U.S. or truck mail by 5 p.m. on January 13, 2010.
7. The Forum review and judging team includes prominent writers and journalists in the community. This team will make the final selections and recommend winners to the board of the FFSF.
8. Student winners will present their essays at the Free Speech Forum luncheon on March 8. Student winners, their parents and teachers will be guests of the Forum for lunch at the Paramount Plaza in Gainesville.
9. Some tips from the competition judges:
   - Essays will be more competitive if statements are checked for accuracy.
   - Statistics are more convincing if they are sourced.
   - Suggested outcomes or alternatives, when used in an essay, have more strength if based on realistic probability.
   - For further information, contact Jean Chance or Stevie Hoffman Huber.