OFSA Writing Contest

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STUDENT WRITING CONTEST

To be conducted yearly by the Ontario Funeral Service Association and its participating Members. Prize awarded: $2,500.00 cash prize for Provincial Winner.

 Local prizes may also be awarded by participating OFSA Members.

WHAT IS THE OFSA “YOUR FAMILY MATTERS” STUDENT WRITING CONTEST?

OFSA will be providing Members with the opportunity to participate in the exciting and rewarding OFSA Student Writing Contest throughout Ontario this October.  This is a chance for Members to reach out to their local community, and promote the important value of Your Family Matters.  Participation is voluntary.

 HOW IS THE OFSA STUDENT WRITING CONTEST CONDUCTED?  

OFSA Member funeral homes wishing to participate in the OFSA “YOUR FAMILY MATTERS” STUDENT WRITING CONTEST will be provided information kits to help them contact area high schools (public, catholic, or private) explaining the program and asking that the school(s) add the 2008 contest to their fall schedule of activities. Members must first inform Kerri Douglas at OFSA of the schools they intend to contact so that there is no duplication in communities with multiple OFSA Members. It is recommended that Members contact schools before the end of the academic year.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Contests run through participating OFSA Member funeral homes.

Eligibility: Grade 12 students graduating in the current academic year attending

public, catholic, or private schools. Submissions written in French will also be accepted.

Local and provincial judges will have access to a translator if required.

      Students submit an essay on the theme of “family appreciation” (500-1,000 words).  
      Consideration to be given for content/lessons learned, sincerity, emotional pull, 
      creativity, structure and grammar.
 

Students compete at the local and provincial level; local prizes will vary depending on

member funeral home; the provincial prize will award a $2,500 cash prize.

      Student essays will be due at the funeral home by mid January of every year. 

Local contests to be judged by local community leaders and professionals as arranged

by the participating local OFSA Member funeral home.

Participating Member funeral homes will send their first-place winning essays to OFSA for judging by the end of January.

      The Provincial Winner will be announced yearly on Family Day.
 

The winning student and submitting OFSA Member funeral home will be recognized at the association’s yearly mid-year conference in April The winning entry will be published in an OFSA publication. OFSA will fund the expenses for the student and two

parents/guardians to attend the conference.

Writing contest held yearly.

OFSA will provide participating Member funeral homes with information kits.  Funeral

homes will confirm which schools they intend to contact by emailing OFSA.  Funeral

homes will then contact schools before the end of June with the OFSA information

package. Funeral homes will provide entry forms for distribution at participating

schools/classrooms in September.

Essays to be completed and sent to participating Member funeral homes by January.

First-place local winners are submitted by funeral homes to OFSA by the end of January.

        Provincial Winner is announced on Family Day in February.

REGISTRATION

To register your funeral home for the OFSA “YOUR FAMILY MATTERS” STUDENT WRITING CONTEST, contact Kerri@ofsa.org.   

If you want more information on the benefits of participating and how to best approach local schools, contact incoming OFSA President, Brian Parent at brian@familiesfirst.ca

THANK YOU for your consideration in participating in this exciting contest!

 
Your Family. Your Community. Your Funeral Home.

 OFSA - YOUR FAMILY MATTERS