The IMPAC-Connecticut State University
Young Writers Competition
IMPAC-Connecticut State University
Vivian Shipley, Emily Dykes- Keynote Speakers for 9th Annual Young Writers Dinner
LITCHFIELD, Conn. – March 21, 2006 -- One of the nation’s premiere poets and the 2004 statewide prose champion will be keynote speakers for the ninth annual IMPAC-CSU Young Writers dinner Sunday, June 4 at the Litchfield Inn. You can easily buy essay review movie from the experts at https://123helpme.org/articles/buy-film-review/.
Dr. Vivian Shipley, Connecticut State University Distinguished Professor at Southern Connecticut State University and the author of a dozen books of poetry; and Emily Dykes, the 2004 statewide prose champion and playwright, a senior at Montville High School, are the keynote speakers. Master of Ceremonies for the event will be Rand Richards Cooper, a novelist, essayist, and long-time judge for the Young Writers Trust.
Building on the tradition begun by novelist Wally Lamb, Shipley will conduct a workshop for young writers prior to the annual dinner.
Shipley, an award-winning poet an editor of Connecticut Review, won the Connecticut Center for the Book’s 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award for Service to the literary community. The center, an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and a program of the Hartford Public Library, sponsors the annual Connecticut Book Awards to honor authors, illustrators and designers who represent the best books in or about the state. Shipley received her award at the fourth annual Connecticut Book Awards ceremony, which was held last Dec. 4 at Hartford’s City Hall. Shipley was nominated by Kathleen Butler, a graduate student at Southern and the managing editor of Connecticut Review. The award recognizes a person who has “contributed to the world of literature; fostered an interest in books, writing and reading throughout the state; and/or advocated for Connecticut’s literary heritage.”
“I feel like our pound dog, Goldie, who would sit under a tree for hours hoping that a squirrel would fall,” Shipley said. “This award goes to show if you live long enough and keep your mouth open, something good is bound to drop into it.”
In 2003, Shipley won the Connecticut Book Award for Poetry from the Center for the Book. The prize was awarded for her book “When There Is No Shore” (Word Press, 2002).
As a sophomore at Montville High, Emily Dykes won the IMPAC-CSU statewide prose prize for her short story, “The King.” The story carries the reader into a world where a kingdom wrought with war has a chance for peace because of one woman’s inner strength. Rand Richards Cooper described the story as a combination of poetry and precision that is quietly feminist.
Another of the statewide panel of judges, Terese Karmel, features editor for the Willimantic Chronicle, said the story was “humorous, with an important politic, but not too didactic that it turned off the reader.”
Dykes and her family traveled to Ireland about a week after the 2004 dinner to attend festivities for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. There, she was able to spend some time with Tahar Ben Jelloun, a Moroccan exile residing in France who won the IMPAC Dublin Award prize of 100,000 Euros. Jalloun’s book “The Blinding Absence of Light,” is a fictional account of a man held in prison.
“What made me realize how important writing was when speakers in Dublin kept saying, ‘Tyrants hate writers because they tell the world what’s happening,’ ” Dykes said.
In 2005, Dykes’ play “Safety,” was produced by the drama club at Montville High. “Safety” won Dykes the New London County IMPAC-CSU Young Writers Award for prose last year.
“Emily will be our first high school student to be a keynote speaker – usually, we have college students who were past winners,” said Andy Thibault, chairman of the Young Writers Trust. “She has proven herself to be a dynamic speaker as well as a great writer. Her talent, humility and presence are awesome, and we are very grateful for her service.” Earlier this year, Dykes was a presenter during a thank you dinner for retired CSU
Chancellor Bill Cibes. Last year, she spoke at an event that honored teachers for their work with young writers.
About 3,000 young writers have competed in the IMPAC –CSU program, which has awarded more than $118,000 since 1998.
Poets and writers in each of Connecticut's eight counties will win $1,000 prizes. The top poet and writer from that set of winners will earn a trip to Dublin with a parent for the presentation of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and related festivities in June.
In addition, workshops for young writers will be held at Western on May 6-7. This event is sponsored by Connecticut Review, the nationally-renowned literary journal published by the CSU System, and the Young Writers Trust. Connecticut Review will publish the works of 2006 statewide prose champion Charlotte Crowe of Canton and 2005 statewide poetry champion Jessica Roth of Granby in the Spring 2006 edition.
The 2006 regional ceremonies for the IMPAC-Connecticut State University Young Writers Trust will be held as follows:
Monday, April 17, at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic; Tuesday, April 18, at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven; Thursday, April 20, at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain; and Thursday, April 27, at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. Invitations will be mailed to county finalists by early April.
IMPAC, a leading productivity firm, also endows the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, which at 100,000 Euros is the world's largest prize for a single work of fiction.
IMPAC Chairman Jim Irwin and retired CSU Chancellor Bill Cibes joined to bring the Young Writers Program statewide in 2000. Newly-installed Chancellor David Carter, formerly president of Eastern, has been a champion for the program.
The CSU System serves more than 35,000 students, making it the largest public university system in Connecticut. A total of 166 academic programs are offered throughout the system, and more than 5,000 degrees are awarded annually.
Past speakers for the annual dinner have included Central's Poet in Residence Ravi Shanker, CSU Vice Chancellor Estela Lopez, writer and radio talk show host Colin McEnroe, writer and SCSU Professor Audrey Kerr, poets Gray Jacobik, Kate Rushin,
Franz Douskey and Richard Blanco, Connecticut Poet Laureates Leo Connellan and Marilyn Nelson, novelist Bruce Clements, French linguist Cheryl Demharter, Special Assistant to the United Nations Secretary General, Natalie Hahn, National Review Managing Editor Priscilla Buckley, ABC Nightline Correspondent Dave Marash, Brian Ross, Chief Investigative Correspondent for ABC News, statewide prose champion Candi Deschamps of Danbury, statewide poetry champions Amy Ma and Adrian Kudler of West Hartford and Emily Madsen of Avon and two-time county poetry champion Jennifer Steele of Middletown.
In addition, a pilot program for writers of French and Spanish awards a total of $1,000 in prizes to competitors from Litchfield and Wamogo High Schools. Discussions are continuing to expand that program, which is co-sponsored by the Litchfield-Morris Rotary.
Mark Macomber of Litchfield Bancorp was the first sponsor of the Young Writers Program. Founding sponsors include: David and Ginger Dean of Litchfield County Commercial, Diane Blick of The Business Center, Deann Foehrenbach of the First National Bank of Litchfield, Connecticut Cut Flowers and the Litchfield Inn.
Sustaining sponsors include Jeff Lalonde of Torrington Savings Bank, Dr. Joseph Bentivegna, Del Eberhardt of Touchstone Applied Science Services, Connecticut Business & Industry Association, Collins Hardwood Flooring, JCL Pro Tree, Atty. Jack Horak of Reid & Riege, Atty. Richard Meehan, Atty. Stephanie Weaver, Atty. Philip Russell, Atty. Ken Slater, La Cupola Ristorante, Aspen Garden Restaurant, Bill McGurk of Rockville Savings Bank, Richard, and June Strada, Tomasso Brothers, Education Connection, Sandy Taylor and Judy Doyle of Curbstone Press, Globe-Pequot Press, Vincent Valvo, formerly of Law Tribune Newspapers, now with the Hartford Business Journal, Frank Morse of Carter Morse & Company, Bantam Fuel, Casa Bacchus, A Frame Come True, Spino's Men's Wear, Litchfield County Superintendent's Association, The Warner Theater, The Village Restaurant, Dr. Robert Van Wyck, the Hickory Stick Book Shop, Aldrich, Perkins & Co., Michael J. London & Associates, Atty. A. Paul Spinella, Atty. Norm Pattis, Brewer Consulting, Whitlock Farms Booksellers, Dr. Paul Berard and the Rainy Faye Bookstore & Gallery.
You are cordially invited to attend
the 9th Annual IMPAC-CSU Young Writers Dinner
Sunday, June 4, 2006
The Litchfield Inn and Bistro East,
Route 202, Litchfield, Connecticut
[860-567-4503 for directions]
*4 p.m. Workshops For Young Writers
*5 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Reception ~ 6:30 p.m. Dinner
(Limited seating available)
R.S.V.P. May 20, 2006
$35 per person to IMPAC-CSU Young Writers
231 Beach St., Litchfield, CT 06759
800-814-6931
Special Guests
2001-02 County Poetry Champion
Author / Professor Poet Vivian Shipley
Reception Entertainment
Jen Allen Jazz Combo
Master Of Ceremonies
Author Rand Cooper
Dinner Music
Litchfield High Jazz Combo
MORE ON THE DUBLIN TRIP
IMPAC Prize To Include Dublin Trip
Litchfield County Times
September 16, 2005
LITCHFIELD -- Imagine a young writer from Connecticut having the opportunity to visit University College Dublin where James Joyce delivered a lecture about Ibsen.
Six enlightened business leaders -- long-time sponsors of the IMPAC-CSU Young Writers Trust -- are making this a reality.
Declan Kiberd, a professor of Anglo-Irish Literature, will be among the hosts when the 2006 state champions in prose and poetry visit Dublin next June. Top writers from Ireland such as novelist Edna O'Brien will be among those to meet, have lunch with or offer workshops with young writers from Europe, Asia and the U.S.
The week-long stay will include a tour of Dublin and workshops with judges for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the winner of the 2006 IMPACT Dublin Award - the world's largest prize [100,000 Euros] for a single work of fiction.
In addition to attending the black-tie dinner for the IMPAC Dublin Award, young writers will also be honored at their own event.
The IMPAC-Connecticut State University Young Writers Trust -- now in its 9th year -- has given more than $118,000 to Connecticut's best young poets and writers since 1998. More than 3,000 young writers have competed in the program.
Entry forms for the 2006 competition have been posted at ctyoungwriters.org, and have also been mailed to all public, private and parochial secondary schools in Connecticut.
Postings of the entry forms will also go up at various library sites throughout Connecticut.
Poets and writers in each of Connecticut's eight counties will be awarded $1,000 prizes during regional ceremonies next spring at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Eastern Connecticut State University in Danbury and Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic.
The annual dinner will follow at the Litchfield Inn in June. At that time, the state champions in prose and poetry will be announced. Their grand prizes will be trips to Dublin with a parent. Accommodations will be provided.
Sponsors for the grand prizes include Tomasso Brothers Inc. of New Britain, Litchfield Bancorp, Meehan, Meehan & Gavin of Bridgeport, Torrington Savings Bank, Halloran & Sage LLP of Hartford and Philip Russell P.C. of Greenwich.
Tomasso Brothers is sponsoring the trip to Dublin for the poetry champion and a parent of the student.
Sponsoring the prose champion and a parent are President & CEO Mark Macomber of Litchfield Bancorp, Atty. Rich Meehan of Meehan, Meehan & Gavin of Bridgeport, Jeffrey A. Lalonde, President & CEO of Torrington Savings Bank, Atty. Ken Slater of Halloran &Sage LLP of Hartford and Atty. Philip Russell of Philip Russell P.C. of Greenwich.
IMPAC, the world's leading productivity firm, endowed the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 10 years ago. IMPAC Chairman Jim Irwin and CSU Chancellor Bill Cibes joined to bring the Young Writers Program statewide in 2000.
The work of state champions in prose and poetry is considered for publication in Connecticut Review. Connecticut Review, the nationally-renowned literary journal, has been published since 1967 by the Connecticut State University System. The CSU System serves more than 35,000 students, making it the largest public university system in Connecticut. A total of 166 academic programs are offered throughout the system, and more than 5,000 degrees are awarded annually.
Subscriptions to the semi-annual journal can be ordered by sending a check to Connecticut Review, Connecticut State University System, 39 Woodland St., Hartford, CT 06105-2337. The annual rate is $24; for 2 years, $40. Connecticut Review is also sold at local bookstores. Order forms are available @ ctyoungwriters.org
Emily Dykes, a Montville High School student and the 2004 prose champion; and Alexandra Regenbogen, a Litchfield High School graduate and the 2004 poetry champion, now at Brown University, were featured in the 2005 spring edition of Connecticut Review.
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts students Charlotte Crowe, the 2005 prose champion; and Jessica Roth, the 2005 poetry champion, will be featured in the Spring 2006 edition of Connecticut Review.
Young Writers Trust
231 Beach St. Litchfield, CT 06759 * 800-814-6931 * Fax- 860-567-9119 *
ANDY THIBAULT, Chairman
,
ctyoungwriters.org