Local non-profit, Tweener Ministries, Warsaw, is taking entries for its second annual International Chapter Book Competition and Cover Art Competition.
Marvin Baker, Tweener Ministries president, said his group is focused on promoting literacy among children ages 8-12. Baker calls these ages "in-betweeners."
"They're too old for this, too young for that; they're at that in-between age," Baker said.The chapter book and cover art competitions are open to high school students around the world.
Baker said the competition is aimed at getting older students involved in creative writing and younger students involved in reading. He said young students today often are not interested in reading. Baker said he believes high school students may be able to create stories younger students are excited about reading.
"They've just been there," he said. "They know what they wish they could have read."
Last year, the first competition, was won by Hannah Stahlhut, 16, of Danville. Stahlhut's book, "Journey to the Homeland," is about a young orphan who has the ability to communicate with animals.
Hannah England, 17, of Mechanicsville, Va., won the cover art competition.
Baker and Trittin Press, Warsaw, will publish the first-place contest entry and the author will receive royalty payments on sales of the book. The first-place writer also wins a $20,000 four-year scholarship to Bethel College, Mishawaka and a $1,000 cash prize from Gaither Charitable Foundation.
Second- and third-place writers win a $10,000 four-year scholarship to Bethel College. Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-places win a $6,000 four-year scholarship to Bethel College.
The teacher of the first-place student author also wins a prize - a seven-day guided educational tour of Paris.
The winning cover art entry will win a $44,000 four-year scholarship to Anderson University, and the entry will be published on the cover of the winning book.
Second- and third-place entries win a $10,000 four-year scholarship to Bethel College.
Contest entries are judged in three rounds by educators, school administrators, librarians, published authors, college professors and editors from several publishing houses.
Last year, Baker said, students from 11 countries and 20 states submitted entries.
Competition manuscripts are due May 20. The cover art competition will begin in late August after the winning book has been selected.
For more information about the competition and about Tweener Ministries visit www.tweenerministries.org
