Submissions Being Accepted for Juneteenth Youth Essay, Spoken Word, and Poster Contests

The Downtown Newport News Merchants & Neighbors Association, Inc. (DNNMNA), in partnership with the City of Newport News, has released plans for a week’s worth of activities in honor of Juneteenth. Plans include a concert, bingo, a freedom festival, a theatrical production, and more.
To help start the celebration early, the DNNMNA has kicked off two contests for young people. Youth in grades 3-5 may participate in the poster contest and those in grades 6-12 may participate in the essay and spoken word contest. The theme for both contests is Unity in the Community: Education, Awareness and Commemoration.
To participate in the poster contest, youth must visit one of the branches of the Newport Public Library to pick up a registration packet. The packet includes a registration form and three sheets of cardstock. Contestants must design their poster on one of the sheets provided and submit it by the deadline. To enter the essay contest, participants must use the electronic form to submit an essay no longer than one page. For spoken word entries, participants must compose and record a presentation and upload the file using the electronic form. All entries must be submitted by Friday, May 14, and first prize winners will receive a gift card.
To see a full listing of planned Juneteenth events and to learn more about the contests, visit www.nnva.gov/Juneteenth.