Ashbourne English Literature Competition

Ashbourne is hosting a Literature Essay Competition open to anybody between the ages of 14 and 17. Entrants are asked to write an essay of no less than 1000 words including footnotes and appendices on the question below:
“If human nature does alter, it will be because individuals manage to look at themselves in a new way.” E.M Forster
Literature can have a powerful and formative impact on our personal perspectives. Tell us about a piece of prose, poetry or drama that changed your outlook or perspective. You must focus on one text only, however others can be referenced.
You must include a bibliography and ensure any secondary sources used are referenced following either Harvard or MLA referencing systems. Essays must be submitted as a PDF file via the email address provided. Please ensure that the pages in your essay are numbered and that your name, school, and date of birth appears clearly on the first page. 
Entrants must be aged between 14 and 17  by the final submissions deadline date or be a current student at Ashbourne College. Entrants are advised that the main focus of the essay should not be material previously or currently being studied by the entrant as part of their GCSE or A-Level study. The entrant may refer to topics that will be studied in future so long as, at the time of the closing date, the entrant has received no formal tuition on the topic in question. Competitors must focus on a single text in their essay, however others can be referenced to support their argument on the main text. Candidates that are successfully shortlisted will attend a Skype interview with a member of Ashbourne’s senior management to discuss their submission in more detail and verify the legitimacy of their work.
Entrants are advised that texts selected to write about must be an established literary work of fiction, originally written in English.
How to submit your essay
All entries should be sent to [email protected]. Once essays have been submitted, it is not possible to make changes – please ensure you are happy with your work before submitting it.
The deadline for entrants to submit their essays is Friday 12th June 2020.
Essays which are not submitted by this time will not be considered under any circumstances. Please direct any questions to Chris Mutter ([email protected])
Shortlist interview
The entrants that are successfully shortlisted will be required to have a Skype interview to discuss their submission. Entrants are expected to answer questions and elaborate on their submission and are advised to re-familiarise themselves with their essay prior to the interview. This is an essential part of the selection process and any entrant that does not attend this interview cannot receive a prize.
Skype interviews for shortlisted entrants will take place between 15th - 26th June 2020.
Prizes

First prize - £500 
Runner up prize (up to 10 entrants) - £50 

In addition to receiving a cash prize, successful entrants will also have the opportunity to undertake a scholarship interview at Ashbourne College, should they wish to apply. Please contact Chris Mutter at [email protected] or +44 7517 651 819 for further details.