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"Celebrate America" Creative Writing Contest 2012

The American Immigration Council is proud to sponsor the 15th annual Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest. The contest inspires educators to bring U.S. Immigration history and lessons into their classrooms and gives fifth graders the opportunity to explore America as a nation of immigrants.CWC 2012 logo

Past winners have used the theme “Why I am Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants” to discuss their personal immigration experiences, learn about and share family histories or write about the broader questions of the challenges facing immigrants in a new land. Fifth grade students enter their work in local contests which are sponsored by chapters of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Each chapter forwards the local winning entry to the National Competition where entries are reviewed by a distinguished panel including U.S. senators, award-winning authors and noted journalists. Winning entries are to be printed in the Congressional Record. The grand prize winner and two guests (including one parent/guardian) will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Council’s Annual Benefit Dinner where the winner will be recognized and will recite the winning piece. Local and national judges are looking for student writing that is original, thoughtful and speaks to the Council’s mission to educate the public about the benefits of immigration to our society.

Creative Writing Contest Community Resources

Thank you for your interest in the American Immigration Council "Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest." If you are an educator, parent, administrator or student please contact your local coordinator to participate in the 2012 "Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest.

If you are a coordinator below you will find a number of resources to assist you.

For more information, please contact teacher@communityeducationcenter.org.

Creative Writing Contest Past Winners

Each year, the National Winner of the "Celebrate America" Creative Writing Contest and two guests receive an all expenses paid trip to The Council’s Annual Benefit Dinner where he/she is honored and reads his/her winning entry aloud. The winner also receives a travel stipend, engraved plaque, his/her winning entry printed in the Congressional Record and a flag flown over the Capitol in his/her honor.

Exhibit Hall

Becoming Americans: A Historical Perspective

Exhibit by Phillip Ratner  


When Eleanor Sreb, of the Smithsonian Folklife Center, and Ross Holland, National Park Service Associate Director for Cultural Resources Management, approached artist Phillip Ratner to create artwork for Ellis Island, Ratner initially thought, "How do I fit the entire world into a single piece?" Ratner sat for hours on a bench in the Great Hall at Ellis Island sketching, thinking, observing--trying to capture the essence of the immigration experience. Ratner conjured up images of the millions of immigrants who passed through that Great Hall--travel weary people of all ages, creeds and nationalities who hungered for a new life in America. "I picked up the ghosts," Ratner said, "and it changed my life. I felt my grandparents' energy and that of the thousands of immigrants who passed through those halls."

Past Exhibits

Exhibits are hosted by the American Immigration Council, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of immigration law and policy and the value of immigration to American society; to promoting public service and excellence in the practice of immigration law; and to advancing fundamental fairness and due process under the law for immigrants.

Winning Entry 2010 Creative Writing Contest

The American Immigration Council is happy to announce the winner of the 2010 National Creative Writing Contest.

Julia Culbert a fifth grader from Santa Clara Valley was selected from thousands of entries with her piece, "America's Fried."

Winners by State 2011

Over 6,500 entries were sent by 5th Graders from across the country. Here are the winners from the regional contests.

Winners of the 14th Annual Creative Writing Contest

Over 6,500 entries came in to local contests across the country and the quality of submissions was inspiring.  The winning entries from each local contest were sent to the National Office and were screened by a panel of immigration attorneys, authors, and classroom teachers.  The scores from this panel were used to select the top five entries which were sent to our celebrity judges.

This year's judges were Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers;  Henry Cejudo, Olympic Gold Medalist; Gerda Weissman Klein, Author and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom; and Senator Daniel Inouye.