The Whidbey Island Writers Association and Whidbey Westside Rotary present the 2014 Celebrate Writing Contest for Students. The contest is open to all Whidbey Island students in grades 3 to 8 in the categories of poetry, non-fiction and fiction or personal story. Every entrant will receive supportive feedback from local writers. The deadline for entry is Friday, Jan. 24.

Eighteen winners will receive cash prizes in an awards presentation on Sunday, March 16  at Coupeville Recreation Hall at 901 NW Alexander St. in Coupeville.

For more information, go to Celebrate Writing Contest here. Contest coordinators are Teresa McElhinny, reach her at rtjmc@hotmail.com, and Jan Lautenbach at lautenbach_j@yahoo.com.

Comprising nearly 200 members, the Whidbey Island Writers Association is the wellspring of the programs offered by the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (NILA), including an MFA program in creative writing, the Whidbey Island Writers Conference, and the Soundings Review literary magazine. NILA is for writers, about writers, by writers.

Whidbey Westside is a  Rotary Club on located on South Whidbey Island. Here’s a group of local community members who seek to make a positive impact on the local and broader communities through service and fellowship. It is active in supporting those individuals and organizations that strive to improve the community on South Whidbey Island.