Free contest, The 2011 Andre Sobel Essay Award, top prize: $5,000 (USA)

Deadline: 29 April 2011

The 2011 Andre Sobel Essay Award

A juried competition for young survivors of a catastrophic illness

Andre Sobel was a remarkable young man who had natural dignity, a promising future and an unconventional sense of humor. Andre’s young life ended just one year after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was 19 He was the beloved son of Erwin and Valerie Sobel and brother to Simone. To honor Andre, and out of their deep love and respect for him, his family established the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation and shortly thereafter the Andre Sobel Essay Award. The purpose of this competition is to honor the young survivors of a catastrophic illness. If you consider yourself to be a “survivor,” we celebrate with you and look forward to your submission.

This year, several cash awards will be granted, with the the first place winner receiving a 5000 cash prize. Smaller cash prizes will be awarded to the runner-­‐ups and to a participating Companion Writer of any of these winners. The cash award can be used in any way the recipient chooses.

Rules and Submission Guidelines

This is not an English class. We want you to be TRUE to yourself and express your thoughts in any form that feels natural and comfortable to you. Therefore, we have expanded the range of choices so that you may best express yourself in a style that is comfortable for YOU. For example, you may present your entry as an essay, a short story, a letter, an email, a recorded conversation, a cell phone call or text message, a blog, a Facebook post, Twitter communication or any other written format (as opposed to video or audio recorded format) you wish to use because you feel that it best captures your message and voice.

✓ Create your entry keeping in mind that you are talking to your peers or family. We encourage you to be honest and personal about your thoughts. This is the time for you to say what you may have felt unable to share before. What you have lived through and learned could prove invaluable to a new “patient” somewhere whose experience is perhaps very similar to yours.

✓ The Companion Writer Option*: While essays are usually the work of one author, relationships obviously involve the interactions between two or more people. For this reason, we offer you a choice to invite a friend or relative to interact with you from his or her perspective. The way your illness affected you AND someone close to you is an important story. Perhaps exploring this together and recording the resulting interaction may even provide you with new insights about each other. We welcome this important perspective!

*If you choose this option and your combined entry is selected, your Companion Writer will also receive an award.

✓ All entries will be judged equally, no matter which essay option you choose.

✓ All we ask is that you end up with an entry that is in written format (please, no video or audio recordings), and that you limit your submission to 1000 words or less [4 double-­‐spaced typed pages]. Format “What I needed from others when I was ill: Notes From Someone Who's Been There” Ideas to stimulate your thinking:

✓ Did your relationships change during your illness in ways the made you feel isolated, or perhaps closer? How? Why?

✓ What kind of interactions, support, recreation, games, engagement, etc., helped you most? Or the least?

✓ Did close friends seem withdrawn or changed, as if they were frightened or unsure about how to behave around you? How did that make you feel?

✓ Where there things you wanted to talk about with others, but felt you could not or should not?

✓ What can you tell others now that might help them understand what is going on in a sick adolescent’s mind?

✓ How did your understanding of relationships change because of your illness? Be as serious, humorous, chatty or as formal as you want. Be comfortable and REAL. It is a guarantee that YOUR TRUTH is exactly what someone else is craving to hear!

*If you are a participating “companion writer” (see rules and submission guidelines), the above essay dialogue ideas still apply, except tell us about how YOU experienced the relationship during your friend’s/relative’s illness. Of course, you will be referring to “my friend’s illness” and what your struggles and insights were.

For the Survivor’s Companion if the applicant opts to participate in the Companion Writer Option: “What I needed to know when you were ill: Notes From Someone Who’s Been There.

✓ All submissions must be in written format. No other formats (such as audio or video) will be accepted.

✓ All submissions must be received in their entirety by midnight PT on Friday, April 29, 2011

✓ A complete submission is defined as a packet that includes the essay, the submission form (found on page 6 of this document) and a photo of the applicant all submitted TOGETHER. The photo must be submitted in a .JPG format.

* If a Companion Essay is to be considered, the participating partner in the Companion Essay must provide his or her own entry form and photo, and both applications must be submitted TOGETHER.

✓ Submissions should be emailed to Rick Welshiemer at welshier@coyote.csusb.edu.

✓ If you are unable to email a complete submission, you may mail the hard copy to: Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation Andre Sobel Award Submission c/o Anne Swire, CEO 201 North Indian Hill Blvd., Suite 202 Claremont, CA 91711

✓ Notifications: An email notice will be sent to your email account providing acknowledgment that we received your essay. Award recipients will be notified by phone before July 1, 2011 A list of all winners will be posted on our website.

✓ Qualifications: Applicants must be between the ages of 13 and 21 as of February 1, 2011, and consider themselves cancer survivors or survivors of a critical or life-­‐threatening illness. Companion Writers’ ages may vary, but Companion Writers must age 13 years and older. All applicants must reside in the United States.

✓ Because this is not a scholarship, please DO NOT send school transcripts, letters of recommendation or financial records. All we want is YOUR essay!

✓ Equal Opportunity: The awards will be presented without regard to race, religion, gender, citizenship, sexual orientation or national origin.

✓ For more information: Email your inquiries and questions to Rick Welshiemer at welshier@coyote.csusb.edu. As we receive a large number of inquiries, please allow at least 72 hours for a response. No phone calls please.

✓ Winners: Winners will be asked to submit biographical information and additional photos for public relations purposes. They may be asked to speak to media and to participate in video recordings to promote the Andre Sobel Award. These terms are a condition of receiving an Award.

Please ensure that your form is legible and complete and submit it at the same time as your essay and photo. All submissions must be received by midnight PST on Friday, April 29, 2011 Please review the 2011 Rules and Submission Guidelines for more information.

More information here.