Creative Writing Contests & Competitions
VIDEO CONTESTS
Directing Change
California Student Media Festival
2020 Video Contest Winners!
“Audience of One” (Selected by Angels Baseball to air on television)
- First Place in California Directing Change Contest in the Animated Short Category ($1000 to students & award trophy to each)
- Winner in both Artistic Nonfiction High School AND the Global One Special Award categories in 54th Annual California Student Media Festival ($750 to school Creative Writing program; 2 plaques for the school)
- First Place in National AAS Directing Change Contest in the Animated Short Category ($1000 in Amazon gift cards split among all students)
Orange County / La Quinta High School Creative Writing
Filmmakers: Keanu Hua, Brian Ly, Kayla Nguyen and Alexa Wright
Advisor: Amanda LaPera
“Culture Doesn’t Define Me”
- Honorable Mention in the Nationwide AAS Directing Change contest, Suicide Prevention Category
- Honorable Mention in the California Directing Change contest in “Through the Lens of Culture” category (certificates to students)
- Fifth place in the GGUSD Choose Wellness Campaign Video Contest: La Quinta NAMI Club’s video (GGUSD version)
Orange County / La Quinta HS NAMI On Campus
Filmmakers: Karen Nguyen, Kathleen Nguyen, Michelle Lee, Jane Le, Titania Le , Gina Ngo, Cindy Pham, Kelsy Hua and Andrea Tran
Advisor: Amanda LaPera
Language: English and Vietnamese with English subtitles
A student is confronted about her grades by her mom and feels the cultural pressure of needing to be perfect and keeping her mental health struggles to herself. She realizes she is not alone and holds up the green ribbon as she encourages viewers to reach out.
View & Download (Directing Change version)
“Stay”
- Team Pick in California Directing Change Contest in Suicide Prevention Category (1 award trophy)
- 4th Place in the Nationwide AAS Directing Change contest, Suicide Prevention Category ($250 in Amazon gift cards split among all students)
Orange County / La Quinta High School Creative Writing
Filmmakers: Benson Truong, Kimbill Ly, Kenneth Tran, Terry Nguyen, Cattu Do and Johnathan Phan
Advisor: Amanda LaPera
“Reach Out”
- Honorable Mention in the California Direction Change Contest in Suicide Prevention Category (certificates sent to students)
Orange County / La Quinta High School Creative Writing
Filmmakers: Michelle Nguyen, Kady Tran, Katherine Pham, Vy Ngo and Julie Tran
Advisor: Amanda LaPera
POETRY CONTESTS
Poetry Out Loud
2022 Poetry Contest Finalist!
La Quinta High School Student Emily Dang earned second place in the county level of the National 2022 Poetry Out Loud competition which had more than 500 students participating. This week, Marcus Omari from Poetic Reform Party and Elizabeth AB Miller, the Program manager for Arts Orange County visited La Quinta to present Emily with an award in recognition of her second-place win.
Due to her excellent performance in the Poetry Out Loud competition and the OC Poetry Out Loud Showcase and Open Mic on February 12th, Emily was selected to be the single student to delivery her poem at the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators Awards Ceremony at the Segerstrom Center on May 17.
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life.
Students had several weeks to memorize two poems from the National Poetry Out Loud anthology, record those poems and submit them to the county’s panel of judges. Submissions were scored on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, overall performance and accuracy.
2022 Poetry Out Loud Competition Finalist