**Write an open letter to a specific audience that calls attention to an issue or problem and prompts reflection or action on it.** *Dear Students of the 21st Century,* What you learn in school today will not be useful once you graduate. Learn skills that matter. Take agency over your education. Don't let school interfere with your educaiton. The world that you grew up is quickly receiding into the horizon. *Dear fellow competitors for a better future,* I refuse to compete. Aim for higher, not better. the competition mindset is not helpful. Mindset of scarcity --> mindset of abundance ## Judging Criteria - Purpose - Open letter calls attention to an issue or problem and prompts reflection or action on it. - Audience - Open letter directly addresses a specific individual, group, organization or institution appropriate to the issue, but also is written to be read by a public general audience - Analysis - Open letter convincingly makes a case for why the recipient and public should care about or take action on the issue. It provides relevant background information, valid examples and reliable evidence to support the argument -- all in a clear and organized fashion. - Language - Open letter is clearly written as a letter. It has a strong voice and uses language, style and tone appropriate to its purpose and audience. It features correct grammar,spelling and punctuation. - Guidelines - Writing follows all contest guidelines, including the citation of trustworthy sources (at least one Times and one non-Times source) in the WorksCited section.