The Ackerman Essay Contest

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The AIS Foundation sponsors an essay contest each year for youth who are interested in iris. There are three age groups of competition. There is the 9 and under group, the 10-12 year-olds, and the 13 and over. The contest is managed by a chair that is appointed by the AIS Foundation executive board. The AIS Foundation also provides cash awards for the first, second, and third place winners. Currently they are $100, $50, and $25 respectively, 

Sometime in July or August the Chair writes a prompt for the youth to study and write their essay about. It is announced in “News And Notes”, “Irises’, and the youth newsletter, “The Iris Fan”. The rules, suggestions for writing, deadline, age groups, prizes, and where and who to send the essays to are also published. The youth can either mail their essay in or email it to the addresses in the announcement. The essays should be 500 words or less. 

The winners are announced at the awards banquet of the annual AIS National Convention. The winners are recognized by coming to the front of the banquet, if they are present, to receive certificates, their checks, and a coupon for a free new iris rhizome from one of AIS’s hybridizers. If they are not present, they receive their certificate, check, and rhizome coupon in the mail. 

Everyone who enters the contest receives in the mail a letter thanking them for participating, as well as a nice certificate. 

Youth are encouraged to begin writing soon after they learn the prompt for the year. This gives them time to write one than one draft and get their spelling and grammar checked.

Your Bestie Loves Your Iris!

Ackerman Youth Essay Contest 2024! The American Iris Society 2024 AIS/Japanese National Iris Convention is on June 26-29 in Portland, OR! This is where you will be recognized, receive your money, and a certificate for a 2024 iris introduction if you win in the essay contest! The deadline will be June 10, 2024.  I am giving you as much time as I can. Make it a creative writing but be sure you give lots of facts for your bestie. Before you turn it in, get your Mom, Dad, Sister, Aunt, Teacher, or anyone to read it over after you write your first draft, and help you think about how to add to it or make it have more details. Here is the official theme:

A new friend, exactly your age and interested in all the same things you love, just moved in next door to you! Her Mom gave her a flower bed of her own in their new backyard. Your new bestie saw your blooming iris beds and now wants to plant iris too, but she doesn’t know anything about them. So, she asked you to teach her all about iris! What are they? How do you plant them? When do iris bloom, and what do you do with them when they finish their bloom cycle? How (and when) do you fertilize them, or dig and separate them when they have grown large? In other words, she wants to know all about irises, and you are the perfect person to ask. 

Write an informative essay to teach her everything she would need to know to plant, nurture, and enjoy a brand-new iris garden bed. You will need to start by researching irises and iris gardening tips and tricks. Organize the information and brainstorm your own ideas and favorite things about planting, growing, and seeing irises. Pretend you are teaching and encouraging your friend as you write out the essay – explain and be enthusiastic! This may be a longer essay than others you have written, and because you will be doing a little research, be sure you put everything into your own words (don’t just cut and paste information).

Remember to get someone to check your grammar and spelling. Check out the other rules below and send it to me: 

Debbie Strauss at debbie@loveirises.com or mail it to me at: 

Debbie Strauss 

2213 Hereford Blvd.

Midland, TX 79707 

The deadline is June 10, 2024.

There are three age group competition categories, thus awarding three 1st, three 2nd, and three 3rd place prizes: 

one in each age group! 

The age groups are 9 and Under, 10-12, and 13 and Over. 

All three age groups will receive a $100 Reward for First Place, $50 Reward for Second Place, and $25 Reward for Third Place (courtesy of The American Iris Society Foundation). Winners will also receive a new 2024 iris from one of our wonderful hybridizers. And of course, there are just a couple of other easy rules:

Essays should be written in 500 words or less. The deadline for getting the essay finished and submitted to me is June 10, 2024.  If you write for the contest, on June 29, 2024 you might be up front at the final convention banquet in Portland accepting your certificate, money, and a coupon for a 2024 iris! 

So, get started NOW, don’t wait, get it finished and sent in. I can’t wait to read about the knowledge that you share with your bestie.