Contests and Challenges

Convention Bingo, Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. - Saturday, Noon
(Foyer, LL)

Upon registration, attendees will be given a convention bingo card full of activities intended to enrich your convention experience. As you complete the activities, mark them off on your card. Once you have completed a row (a bingo), you may turn your card in at the registration desk for one entry into our prize drawing. Alternately, you may complete the entire card and turn it in for 10 entries into the drawing. Entries must be submitted by the close of registration on Friday, and winners will be drawn at the Gala dinner on Saturday.

Twitter Mini-Contests, Wednesday - Saturday

Sigma Tau Delta's Twitter page, @EnglishCon, is your source for all things convention! Follow us to get last minute schedule updates, reminders about important events, and convention pictures. Twitter followers will also get announcements about surprise mini-contests, secret giveaways, impromptu lobby parties, and more! Get the most out of your convention experience by following @EnglishCon today. Use the special convention hastag #RiverCurrent to see what your fellow Deltans are tweeting.

Bad Poetry Contest and "Dry T-shirt" Merchandise Skits - 9:00 p.m.
(Savannah C, LL)

View information about the Bad Poetry Contest and "Dry T-shirt" Merchandise Skits

More Skits From the 2012 Convention

Convention Story Contest

Share your convention story! In order to create and preserve an accessible archive of cultural and historical data, and to develop awareness and appreciation of the rich cultural identity and intellectual traditions of Sigma Tau Delta, we are inviting all convention attendees to submit your 90th anniversary convention stories. We are seeking short blogs (100-400 words) and video blogs (3 min or less) detailing your experience and what the convention meant to you.

For inspiration, check out some of these amazing stories from past conventions:
"The Dream of Chaos and Old Night" by Robert "Chaos" Durborow
"N'awlins, with a Drawl" by Rebecca Rene Hess

Prizes

A first, second, and third place prize will be offered in the amounts of $100, $50, and $30 respectively. At the judges’ discretion, up to two runner-up entries will be considered.

Rules

Entrants must be a member of Sigma Tau Delta, and must have attended the 2014 convention.
Limit one entry per person.
Prizes will be awarded by May 1 and winning entries will be published on WORDY by Nature.
Winners will be paid in the form of a check, so be sure to indicate to whom you want the check made out to if different from your signed name.
The deadline for all blog entries is March 31.
Email your completed blog entry to englishconvention@niu.edu

Format and Pictures

All written entries:

Must be 12-point, Times New Roman font
Must be no fewer than 100, and no more than 400 words
Must be submitted as a Word document (.doc or .docx)
Must be submitted as an attachment, and in the email to which it is attached, you must provide:
1. Your name
2. Email address
3. Name of school and name of your Sigma Tau Delta chapter (see Chapter Directory)
4. Year you were inducted into Sigma Tau Delta
Must follow the Sigma Tau Delta Writing Style Guide and MLA
Should skip a line between paragraphs
Must be accompanied by a headshot of the writer
Must include a relevant original photo
Must identify any people featured in submitted photos
Must have the following header:

Title
Author (list first name and last name)
Office (if applicable: e.g., President, Secretary, Chapter Sponsor)
School Name

All video entries:

Must include an introduction with the creator’s name, school, and office (if applicable: e.g., President, Secretary, Chapter Sponsor)
Must identify any people featured in the video
Videos must be uploaded to a public video sharing site such as YouTube or Vimeo. A link to the video must be submitted in an email along with:

Your name
Email address
Name of school and name of your Sigma Tau Delta chapter (see Chapter Directory)
Year you were inducted into Sigma Tau Delta

Evaluation Criteria

In addition to the criteria that the article address the contest topic, and meet the requirements listed above, articles will be judged according to a rubric which incorporates many, if not all of the following criteria:

Topics/Objectives

Inspires appreciation of words, language, and literature
Furthers, promotes, or highlights one of the objectives of the Society
Provides original content (does not duplicate the website)
Shares relevant and useful information for Society members
Contains a takeaway or key thought for members
Includes a call to action or a question that promotes conversation

Style

Logical, clear, and accurate

Written from a personal perspective (first person narrative)

Informative and/or persuasive in nature

Utilizes multimedia (pictures, videos, and web links)

Well written, professional, and representative of the high standards of the Society

Title

Simple

Descriptive

Eye-catching, grabs the reader’s attention

Meets a need (the reader feels like he/she needs to read it)

"I strengthened some connections with Deltans over Twitter that have turned into new friendships." Joe Nelis, Xi Xi Chapter, Indiana University of Pennsylvania 2012 Convention Read complete story.