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Contests:

Lora A. Printz Memorial Poetry Prize 2006-2007

Questions about the contest may be directed to:
Dr. Kevin Christianson, Henderson Hall 218B 931-372-3351

About the Prize: 
The Lora A. Printz Memorial Poetry Prize is an annual poetry writing contest which recognizes student achievement in poetry writing. The contest was initiated in 1970 by Mrs. Dorothy Pennebaker, a former Tech professor, in memory of her mother, the late Mrs. Lora A. Printz (1891-1970), who had a lifelong love of poetry which she sought to instill in her children and grandchildren. In 1990 The Lora A. Printz Memorial Prize was permanently established by a generous gift made by Dr. Martha Osborne, the daughter of Mrs. Pennebaker and granddaughter of Mrs. Printz, in order to continue Dr. Osborne’s grandmother's legacy of fostering interest in poetry among young people. Dr. Osborne is professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.


Resources

Award: 
A prize of one hundred dollars ($100) will be awarded to the best poem submitted to the contest, and the winning poem will be published in Homespun, Tennessee Tech's student literary magazine. 

Contest Rules:

  • The contest is open to all students enrolled in a degree program at Tennessee Tech University during the 2006-2007 academic year.
  • You may submit up to five poems of any length. All subjects, all styles and forms are welcome. This includes both traditional metrical verse as well as free verse.
  • Poems which have won previous substantial monetary awards are not eligible for this contest.
  • Each poem must be typed, single-spaced, on one side only of 8 ½ by 11 inch sheets of white paper. Please use a 12 point Times New Roman or Ariel font rather than ornate or overly decorative fonts. Poems may be of any length, but do not put more than one poem on a page. Each poem must have a title.
  • Do not put your name on the entry itself. Instead staple to the entry a note card bearing the title of the poem, your name, Tech ID number, campus box number, Email address, and telephone number. If you submit more than one poem, you must attach a separate card to each entry.
  • Make copies of your poems. Entries cannot be returned. All poems will be considered for publication in future issues of Homespun, Tennessee Tech's student literary magazine.

Deadline for Submissions
Entries may be dropped off in the English Department (Henderson 320) no later than 4 pm, Friday, March 16, 2007 (the first Friday after Spring Break). Winners will be announced on the TTU English Department website on or about April 3, 2007.

Judging Criteria:
Entries will be judged not just on what you write about but how you write about it – the angle or perspective you take. Try to tell and show your readers something which they haven’t heard or seen before – OR – tell / show them what they are familiar with but do it in some new or different way! Previous winning entries have featured honest persuasive emotion rather than sentimentality; lively imaginative “spark”; expressive but also skilled use of words and grammar; inventive form and structure; animated rhythm along with deft timing and pacing; conscientious craftsmanship. Don’t be afraid to try something new or different!

 

Last updated on 9/17/07