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Honored Teachers Essay Contest Writing Workshop @Central Library

For our 29th annual Robert B. and Gladys Hopkins Strickler Honored Teachers Essay Contest, in partnership with Dukes Against National Illiteracy (DANI), we're offering an essay writing workshop for students that need help crafting, writing, and editing their essays! This workshop is free and open to all students submitting essays for the Honored Teachers Essay Contest. DANI is a new organization at JMU focusing on promoting and celebrating literacy in our community!

Students are invited to enter essays recognizing current or past teachers who have made a difference in their lives. Each essay should be the original work of the student and should follow the official contest guidelines, available in both English and Spanish. The deadline for entries is Saturday, March 28, 2026.

About the Honored Teachers Essay Contest:
Since its founding in 1997, the Honored Teachers Essay Contest has received over 5,000 student entries—each heartfelt and each celebrating phenomenal local teachers who make incredible differences in the lives of area students. The contest was made possible through the generosity of Robert H. "Twig" Strickler and his wife Lorraine, who set up a memorial endowment to honor Twig's parents, Robert B. and Gladys Hopkins Strickler, who were both inspiring teachers. To date, the contest has awarded a total of more than $10,000 to teachers to enhance their work, as well as thousands of dollars in prizes to student writers. Though Mr. Strickler passed away in 2019 at the age of 90, the program continues to honor his and Lorraine's commitment to highlighting the importance of excellent teaching in the Valley.

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