Red Ribbon Week Essay Contest
The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City
murdered Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent in 1985. This began the continuing
tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of
drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and
visible commitment toward the creation of a DRUG-FREE AMERICA.
Who can enter the essay contest?
“All students in the 6th – 8th grade.
What is the topic?
One School, One Goal, Bully and Drug Free
When is the essay due?
Deadline for this essay contest is Tuesday, November 1
Why should students enter?
 You will participate in a national campaign against substance abuse
 You will encourage your peers and community to be drug free
 Receive a certificate for participation
 One student from each grade level will receive a special prize.
 Grand Prize:
o Your essay will be published in the Mustang Courier Newsletter and
on the Counselor’s website
o You will get a chance to read your essay on the Miller Morning Big
Show.
o SPECIAL GRAND PRIZE
Contest Rules
 Each entry must include the official Essay Contest Entry Form attached to
their essay.

Essays must be typed or legibly handwritten in English. (Black ink.)

Essays must contain up to 300 words, but no more than 500 words.

Any quotations or copyrighted material used in the essay must be
identified properly.

Essays must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1.
Judging Criteria
Essays will be evaluated based on content, clarity, and organization. See
attached rubric.
For more information, see your Language Arts Teacher or one of the counselors.
Red Ribbon Week Essay Contest Entry Form
Name:_________________________________________Homeroom:___________________
Grade Level:____________________________________
Category
Ideas
4
Consistent focus on the
topic, great controlling
ideas, supporting ideas
throughout the paper,
response fully addresses
reader concerns,
appropriate strategies to
develop writer’s ideas.
3
Consistent focus on the
topic, well developed
controlling ideas,
supporting ideas
throughout the paper,
response addresses
reader concerns, and
response is appropriate to
assigned genre.
Organization
Logical sequencing of
ideas, introduction
engages & sets the stage,
conclusion ends without
repetition, transitions are
varied & extended beyond
transitional words.
Style
Keep the audience
attention, variety of
carefully crafted
sentences of varying
lengths, structure and
beginnings, engaging
language. Use of
figurative language.
Correct end punctuation,
variety of subordination
and coordinate strategies,
correct subject—verb
agreement and pronoun—
antecedent agreement,
correct mechanics,
infrequent, if any errors.
Structure guides the
reader, logical
sequencing, introduction
sets the stage, and
conclusion ends without
repetition, logical grouping
of ideas, varied transitions
link the paper.
Word choice is engaging,
attention to audience in
introduction, body and
conclusion, consistent
voice, sentences vary,
some strategies to engage
the reader.
Conventions
Correct end punctuation,
few errors, correct
mechanics with few errors,
errors are generally minor
and do not interfere with
the meaning.
2
Limited focus on topic,
minimally developed
controlling ideas,
supporting ideas are
vague, response lacks
information, some details
are not important,
response does not
demonstrate genre
awareness.
Generally clear sequence
of ideas, introduction is
clear and conclusion
provides closure related
ideas generally grouped
together within paragraph,
transitions link parts of the
paper.
Word choice is clear,
some variation in sentence
length and structure, some
appropriate strategies to
engage the reader.
1
Lack of focus on the topic,
lack of controlling ideas,
absence of supporting ideas,
majority of details are not
important, response is
inappropriate to the genre.
End punctuation is
generally correct, some
errors with complex and
compound sentences, few
very simple, generally
correct mechanics, few
errors interfere with
meaning.
Minimal control in usage,
mechanics, and punctuation,
errors with compound and
complex sentences, frequent
errors with usage and/or
mechanics, some errors
interfere with meaning.
Writing is formulaic, minimal
evidence of sequencing, lack
of effective introduction and
conclusion, ideas are not
arranged in a meaningful
order, limited use of
transitions.
Language and tone are
uneven, word choice is
simple, little variation in
sentence structure.
Parent Permission:
I give permission for my child to participate in the Red Ribbon Week Essay Contest. I give
permission for his/her essay to appear with his/her picture on the Miller Middle School website and
in the Mustang Courier Newsletter.
______________________________________________________________________________
Parent’s Signature
Date
Phone Number