Published December 13th, 2017
Local Middle School Arts Contest touts fifth year
Submitted by Charlie Keohane
The LYAS team, from left: Isabel Rurka, Charlie Keohane, Kristi Conner, and Isaac Douglas Photo provided
For the fifth year in a row, middle schoolers who live or attend school in Lafayette can enter the Lafayette Youth Arts Society Writing and Photography Contest. Students can submit their photographs and short stories to win cash prizes and gifts. The contest opened Nov. 13 and runs through Jan. 31.

Writers can pick from five different prompts to get their creative juices flowing. Some prompts include "A mysterious package arrives at your door," or "You wake up in the morning to find your dreams came true. But it's not like you expected." There are also five prompts in photography, ranging from "Celebration" to "Behind the Scenes" to "Spooky."

Students can enter up to one writing piece and two photographs. Entries must be submitted by Jan. 31 either digitally or to the P.O. Box listed on the website, www.lyas.org.

Participants can win up to $100, and there will be additional prizes for the runners-up. Also, participants can win fabulous books and, of course, the fame and glory that goes with winning.

The LYAS contest is completely run by teens who are passionate about providing opportunities for kids to be recognized for their creative works. It was founded in 2012 by Uma Unni and Linnae Johansson when they recognized a need for a contest in Lafayette. The dedicated group of student organizers meet regularly to ensure that the contest runs smoothly.

"LYAS is what knocked over the first domino for me and my writing, which is why I think it's important to have something like LYAS is every community, to catalyze in young kids a love for writing and photography," said John Kalil, winner of the Third Annual LYAS Contest.

LYAS is a nonprofit only made possible with generous donations from the community, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Lafayette Rotary Club, and other local Lafayette businesses.




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