Annual Children's Issue
Every year The Connection Newspapers dedicates one issue entirely to the imaginative works of our community children and teenagers. We publish artwork, essays, creative writing, opinion pieces, short stories and photographs. Many local schools will be participating and submitting entries as a group. If a child or teenager in your school would like to participate, please provide the submissions no later than Friday, Dec. 4. The issue will be published Dec. 24.
If you have any questions, please call your local editor at 703-778-9416. Submissions can be sent to The Connection, 1606 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Submissions can also be dropped off or, by prior arrangement, picked up by someone in our office. Submissions will be returned upon request. Send e-mail submissions to moconnell@connectionnewspapers.com.
Some suggestions:
* Drawings or paintings or photographs of your family, friends, pets or some favorite activity. We prefer art submitted on letter-sized paper.
* Short answers (50 to 100 words) to some of the following questions: If you could give your parents any gift that didn't cost money what would that gift be? What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming year? What is one thing that you would change about school? What do you want to be when you grow up? What is your favorite animal? What is your favorite toy? What makes a good parent? What makes a good friend? What is the best or worst thing that ever happened to you? What is the best gift you've ever given? Ever received?
* Your opinion (50 to 100 words) about traffic, sports, restaurants, video games, toys, trends, etc.
* Poetry or other creative writing.In anticipation of a few questions, here are some answers about the 2009 Connection Children's issue:
WHAT SIZE SHOULD THE ARTWORK BE?
We do accept larger pieces of artwork — even sculptures. If you can scan or photograph artwork at school and send us a disc, that works best. However, we'd be happy to scan or photograph anything that you submit.
WILL EVERY PIECE OF ARTWORK AND WRITING THAT I SUBMIT APPEAR IN THE CHILDREN'S ISSUE?
No. Each area that an edition of the Connection covers contains many schools. There will not be enough room in the newspaper to have every submission published. However, we try our best to see that every school that submits something is evenly represented.
WILL THE ARTWORK BE PRINTED IN COLOR?
The size of the paper dictates how many four-color pages will be available. The most colorful artwork will appear on the color pages. Some color pieces will be printed in black-and-white and most of the written material will appear on B&W pages.
HOW MANY PIECES OF ARTWORK SHOULD I SUBMIT?
Whatever you think is a fair representation, keeping in mind that not everything you submit will appear. Each school should aim at around 10-20 pieces of artwork.
WHAT ABOUT WRITING - ESSAYS AND POEMS?
You can submit a greater number of poems and essays than artwork, provided that they are not that lengthy. Paragraph-long essays on a single topic (favorite animal, best present, favorite toy) by a whole class work well. If you can possibly have this material typed onto a disc, it would be a huge help to us.
PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO WORK SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY
Schools that submit material either by e-mail or on disk, will be processed first. This will increase the likelihood of those submissions appearing in the Connection. This is the first year that we have implemented this rule, but we felt it necessary given the great number of submissions that we receive, both in student artwork and writing.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING ARTWORK DIGITALLY
Each image should be scanned and saved as a JPG (200-300 dpi). The JPG should be named for the artist (use full name please) and grade level. If submitting multiple JPGs, include a list of the images, identifying the students and grades, in a Word Document. Send the JPGS and Word Document to moconnell@connectionnewspapers.com. You can also put the submission on a disc and mail them to the address below or have them picked up.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING WRITING DIGITALLY
Save student writing to a Word Document. Members of the same class can put their writings in the same document. Clearly label each essay or poem with the student’s name and grade level. You can submit multiple documents, but please try to combine classrooms into single documents, separating each essay or poem by two spaces (don’t use page breaks) within the same document. Send the Word Document to moconnell@connectionnewspapers.com. You can also put the submission on a disc and mail them to the address below or have them picked up.
DO I REALLY HAVE TO DRIVE OUT TO MCLEAN TO DROP OFF THIS MATERIAL?
No. You can send it to us by e-mail, fax or mail (listed below). Or, for larger pieces of artwork, we can arrange to have a Connection staff member pick up and drop off the material.
WHEN WILL THE SUBMISSIONS BE RETURNED?
We will return the artwork and writing to the school office in January 2009.
Mike O'Connell
Connection Newspapers
1606 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
moconnell@connectionnewspapers.com
Voice: 703-778-9416
