Honoring Our River

How will the entries be judged and by whom?
A panel of "judges" comprised of teachers, sponsor representatives and local writers will evaluate entries based on content, clarity and relevance.

Do I have to submit work only about the Willamette River?
No, not at all! Submissions should focus on the relationship between people and the Willamette Watershed - the waters, weather, land, plants, animals and habitats that make up this beautiful and fragile river system.

What kind of work do you accept?
Essays, poetry, short stories, artwork... Anything that expresses your feelings about the river!

Do I have to live in the Willamette Valley to participate?
No - entries from all over the world are welcomed. There is a special section entitled "A River Has Many Voices" that is exclusively for entries submitted in foreign languages. In past anthologies, entries in Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Spanish were submitted. We encourage submissions from all languages spoken in the Willamette Watershed! Translations must be provided.

How many entries can I submit?
Only 1 entry - Pick your best work. You can submit artwork as a stand-alone entry or to support your written work.

When will the anthologies be available?
The anthology is published in time to distribute books for Earth Day events; please let us know in advance if you have an event you would like anthologies for, and we will send you some fresh off the press!

Are all entries, regardless of the age of the author, to be judged using the same criteria?
Criteria will be adjusted for age. Each entry is scored by three separate judges, and the top-scoring entries are chosen for publication.

Who will receive a free copy of the anthology?
All area libraries, published entrants, participating schools and teachers will receive a copy. Additionally, if you would like a copy (or several), please contact us!

Contact us for more information or to order your free watershed toolkit!