Your favorite teenagers probably don’t bother reading newspapers, so do them a favor and forward this column to them.
Because once again, Write Away Books has teamed up with The Coast News to create the Teen Writing Contest. This contest invites all 11th & 12th graders in North County to write an essay on the topic, “A moment that changed me.”
This means we’re giving insightful teenagers a chance to demonstrate their creativity, originality and writing skills. Plus, they’ll win not only $1,000 cash, but also get their work published. It’s a nice portfolio piece to show college admissions officers and potential employers.
None of this would be possible without active participation from Coast News management and sponsor Melissa Huk (aka Ms. Oceanside Real Estate). Because while I’ve carried this idea in my head since 2010, it took these community visionaries to turn the concept into reality.
Huk, Chris Kydd (Coast publisher) and Jordan Ingram (Coast editor-in-chief) have spent years focusing on making North County a more amazing place to live. Their dedication to this effort is already bearing fruit as student essays arrive, demonstrating some fascinating insights into how today’s youth view the world around them.
Oh, yes, I should also mention there’s absolutely no AI, hate speech or plagiarism allowed. Last year we had a few of those, and they got disqualified early on.
But if your teen is up to the challenge, wants the visibility and could use the thousand bucks (and who couldn’t?), then I’d encourage kids of every stripe to go for it.
Now let’s talk about your business…especially if you wish you’d sponsored this effort. Because regardless of what you sell, now is when you should be talking with Chris Kydd about the 2027 event. Or ask him about creating a campaign that promotes your business, reaches new customers and improves your reputation with a relatively small investment.
Because after 45 years in the business, I can tell you unequivocally that good quality marketing isn’t just about throwing another ad onto Facebook; it involves print advertising, publicity, social media, event sponsorships, promotions, speaking, networking and a whole lot more.
Meaning, looking at your communications holistically is probably just the solution you’ve been seeking.
With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
Get details at thecoastnews.com/teenwritingcontest.
