The Avon Theatre Film Center Board of Directors announces the 14th Annual Avon Scholarship Awards Essay Contest with prizes totaling $8,500. The contest is open to high school seniors in both public and private schools throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties that are graduating in Spring 2023. Seniors do not need to be a film major to enter the contest. The Avon scholarship check will be made out to the college or university the winner will be attending full-time in the Fall of 2023.
Students are asked to submit a 500-to-750-word essay on “Film Matters” based on a film they have seen online or in a movie theater that was released in 2022 or 2023. The film can be a feature or animated film, documentary, short, American, or foreign film. They are asked to write about how the film has impacted them personally. Questions to answer include: Did the film change your mind about something? Did the film make you feel seen or accepted? Did the film inspire you?
The essays will each be read by two independent judges from a panel of professional journalists, published authors, editors, educators, and filmmakers. The top finalists will be read by an additional pair of judges. First Place wins $2,000; Second Place $1,500; and Third Place $1,000. There are eight Honorable Mention winners at $500 each. The deadline for submission is Friday, May 5.
The Avon will host an awards reception and ceremony at the theater at 272 Bedford Street, Stamford, later this Spring. Sue Baker, Avon Board member and chair of the Avon Education Initiative Committee, will introduce the winners and present them with their prizes totaling $8,500. The winners’ scholarship checks are made out to the university or college each student plans to attend. Scholarship monies are funded from donations to the Avon Red Carpet auction and the Avon Annual Appeal.
Past scholarship award winners have attended a variety of colleges, including UCONN, Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, Wellesley, University of Richmond, University of Texas, Georgetown, Bowdoin, Pomona College, and many others.
To download an Avon Scholarship Essay Contest flyer and application, visit: www.avontheatre.org/education/
