WriteOn! 2024

The following information was taken from the official website.

 

The Beginning…

In 2003, a group of Peace Corps volunteers in Georgia established the Writing Olympics as an innovative way to promote creativity and critical thinking among students in developing countries. Three years later, Armenia and Azerbaijan competed in the first Trans-Caucasus Writing Olympics. The contest went international in 2009 with the inclusion of Moldova. Thanks to outreach efforts by Peace Corps volunteers and staff, the number of participating countries has doubled in recent years with the addition of Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Ukraine. The project, now known as the Write On! Competition, is in its tenth year and looking to expand to even more countries.
 

Contest Objectives

For teachers, the competition is an opportunity to develop the English language skills of their students through thought-provoking ways not often included in the curriculum.
For students, the contest provides an outlet for freedom of expression and an incentive for further language development.
For PCVs, this is a chance to get involved, be inspired, and have a lot of fun on a secondary project.
For donors, this is an opportunity to encourage creativity in students living in the regions of developing countries.

 

How it Works

The Write On! Competition (WOC) is judged on a national and international basis. Peace Corps volunteers and local teachers begin preparing students in their communities in December. The regional competitions are held in February. National organizers will distribute writing prompts to each community holding a competition. Students from 6th grade to university senior are encouraged to participate. At the competition, students chose from a list of writing prompts. They are given one hour to respond, in English, without assistance. Entries are judged based on the merit of their creativity and inspiration, rather than on grammar or spelling. After the competition, each community organizer submits the entries for national judging. National judging is held by a panel of Peace Corps volunteers and host country nationals. In April, national winners will be submitted for international judging by a panel in Tbilisi, Georgia.