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"Celebrate America" Creative Writing Contest 2011

The American Immigration Council is proud to sponsor the 14th 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.

Creative Writing Contest Community Resources

Thank you for your interest in the American Immigration Council "Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest." 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 three 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


If you would like more information about our past exhibits please contact teacher@immcouncil.org

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."

 

America's Fried

by Julia Culbert

 

The mice gathered in their cave, lingering in the illuminated abyss.  They often discussed politics and all had very definite opinions.  Disagreements led to arguing, and arguing led to fighting.

Tonight they were discussing dinner, though.  Anna, a girl mouse, was having fried rice.  Her sister Adelaide was enjoying her steamed rice.  Rice was really a fine feast, when it passed the holidays, and the mice loved it.

"My steamed rice is delicious.  All one flavor, all the same. I'd never dare mix it with Vermeer's egg.  How lush it is in my mouth,"  Adelaide whispered as the steam filled her round glasses.

Anna just had to speak up, "Now see here! Your rice is a bland mixture, all the same, like some countries in the world.  My fried rice is mixed, like with each person immigrating here, and it tastes better with a little bit of each, like all the different cultures in America."

"Not true!" squeaked Mabel, "People have different ways! How could it all fit together?"

"America is how.  If you add soy sauce to that rice, it will taste a little better.  But you need all the vegetables in order to get the best flavor you can," explained Anna.  She was now full-out ready to explain it.

She sorted out all of the ingredients into little piles, taking some of Mabel's sauce and Adelaides's rice.

"Now," she commanded to all the other mice, "try some carrot."