Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to the managers of businesses in Dallas County. The Dallas County Schools, Selma City Schools, and all four of the private schools in Dallas County are collaborating on a contest involving grades fourth and fifth.  Superintendents of both systems, Hattie Shelton of the county schools, Dr. Avis Williams of the city schools and the four principals of the private schools are behind this contest.  I guess you could call me the administrator of the contest.

The contest is called “Let’s Haiku Together!” It involves giving the same basic course in writing Haiku poetry to the fourth and fifth-grades in all the schools and giving these grades in each school a chance at having first, second and third place winners. Prizes of certificates and medals will be given to the winners from each school. Participation by students will be voluntary and judging of the short poems will be done by judges who do not know the students. Sometime in April, National Poetry Month, winners will be invited to a pizza party where prizes will be awarded.  Also, we are planning to put together a booklet of all the haiku entered and have these printed, making them available to students who entered, to schools which participated, and to the Selma Dallas County Library.  We are hoping this may evolve into an annual collaboration in writing between all of our area schools.

Haiku has been shown to help students think and write concisely and also is beneficial in these areas:  communication, decision making, teamwork, college and career readiness, problem solving and confidence building.

We are approaching your business to ask for any donation up to $25 to help with this county wide schools collaboration.  Donations would go for prizes, celebration coming together, and publication of the booklet. A check can be made to Gail Ingram, Haiku Contest and mailed to the address below or let me know and I can pick it up. We do not have a 501-c-3 entity connected with us so are unable to give a tax exemption letter.

I thank you in advance for participating in this first collaboration between students from all school systems in our area.  There are 65 letters going out to businesses.  We will have need of 30 first, second, and third place prizes, so the celebration will involve at least 90 students plus teachers and parents.  Tentatively we discussed having a pizza party.  Your donations will not go to waste and you will glean some publicity by participating in our funding.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Gail Ingram

4986 County Rd 37

Valley Grande, AL   36701-3752

Gbingram47@yahoo.com