Celebration Day, taking place on June 26, is one day in the year when we can all take a pause in our busy lives to reflect, remember and celebrate the lives of people no longer here. They may be loved ones, family and friends or those from previous generations. The Day is making it as easy as possible for teachers and schools to get involved, with an exciting celebrity-endorsed competition aimed at boosting literacy and oral skills, while connecting students to the stories of previous generations.
A retelling of roots
The Day is an educational resource, transforming current affairs into learning, and Celebration Day is no different. The Celebration Day Writing Competition challenges children aged 5 to 18 (and their teachers) to find the oldest person they know about the person that influenced them the most and retell their story.
“The Celebration Day writing competition will challenge young people from ages five to 18 to think of the people who came before them and to connect with those in the past who had an impact on the ones they love,” said The Day founder and editor Richard Addis.
“We would love schools to take part, so their pupils can engage with those who shaped the world we live in and who made us who we are today.”
A starring role
As part of the exciting array of prizes, children have the opportunity to have their stories read out by some famous faces. Renowned actors, Lennie James, Gemma Arteton and Harriet Walter are supporting this competition.
Children and teachers alike can have their winning work read out by these celebrities and these readings will be turned into a short film. With even potential media opportunities on radio and TV, this competition could accelerate budding writers’ foray into the spotlight.
With entries also being published on The Day’s website, all writers are welcome to getting their work out there. Each winning pupil and the winning teacher will also receive a £100 Amazon voucher, an iPad and a £500 Amazon voucher for their school.
Creative capabilities
The competition utilises creativity, getting entrants to retell these stories in a unique and interesting way. The entries will be marked on how gripping they are, the atmosphere created and how effective each piece of writing is at saying “thank you”.
Saying thank you to these people is the core purpose of Celebration Day, honouring the joy they brought to people’s lives and the way they’ve shaped how society is today. By harnessing that through The Day’s Celebration Day writing competition, children are directly involved in this celebration and get to create their very own touching tribute about someone who has inspired and influenced someone they love.
Whether students are able to capture the essence of a Hollywood film or use telling details to build an atmosphere, they can remember and honour the people who made the world they live in, while developing the core English skills that need to be developed in the classroom.
Connecting the curriculum
Not only does the act of writing the creative story help to develop curriculum-linked skills, by conducting the interview, children are also able to develop their listening and oracy skills, a questioning mindset and learn how to respect the views of others – all key aims of The Day’s wider mission.
Schools can get involved so easily, with curriculum-linked competition packs arriving at schools, with resources tailored for primary and secondary teachers. Including an array of interview questions, writing tips, a poster and a letter to parents, educators have everything they need to get involved, ready for the deadline on 21 June. No extra preparation is needed, so teachers can easily weave the competition into their school day as a cross-curricular activity to spark creativity and reflection about the people they love.
Touching tributes
Celebration Day is a unique opportunity to pay tribute to the lives of anyone who has made a positive impact on the people left behind, and to say thank you.
By hosting Celebration Day on June 26, the first Sunday after the summer solstice, it’s a natural nod to the fullness, brightness and warmth of life. There are more daylight hours to celebrate loved ones, so it’s a fitting time for a tribute to remember the generations of people who created our society, and the joy and inspiration they brought to the world.
Celebration Day aims to ensure the memories of people we miss can live on, and we can find ways to remember them, which may mean baking a cake, listening to certain songs or visiting somewhere they loved. It’s all about choosing a personal way to celebrate their life.
By getting involved in The Day’s Celebration Day Writing competition, children can understand and appreciate the influence of the people who shaped the lives of the people they love. This is more important than ever after the isolating challenges of lockdown, students can really connect with the elderly and reunite different generations through a celebration of joy.
Getting involved
The competition is open to all UK school children aged 5 to 18, with five different age categories for the time of entry, including a teacher category.
The submission should be a maximum of 250 words for primary school pupils, or a maximum of 500 words for secondary school students and teachers .
Each person can submit one entry for the competition.
This competition is free to take part, with the deadline for entries on 21 June 2022.
For more info visit www.theday.co.uk/celebrationday or email celebrationday@theday.co.uk
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