The ACPC encourages each of its affiliates or supporting organizations to create a literary competition for its youth.
Our Literary Competitions are intended to encourage member literary initiatives and inspire the endeavors of Polish-American youth in the fields of journalism and literature. The age criterion is from junior high school up until the age of 30. This is to accommodate students pursuing a master’s degree or doctorate in these fields. The American Council for Polish Culture will match first-prize financial awards offered by affiliates or supporting organizations up to $750.00.
The ACPC’s Literary Competitions support was established in 1995 by Estelle Wachtel-Torres MD in memory of her father, Stanley Zenon Wachtel to promote local efforts. Mr. Wachtel was a pioneer of Chicago’s Polish Theatre. In Detroit, he became the long-time producer of the Polish Language Radio Programs on WJLB, WEXL, and WNBC.
The requirements to receive a matching award include forwarding the following information to our Literary Competitions Chair:
- The date of the competition.
- The rules and judging criteria of the competition.
- The amount of the affiliate or supporting organization’s award.
- The winner’s name, hometown, and school, plus a photo.
- A copy of the winner’s entry, in English. Carolyn L. Meleski, Literary Competitions Chair, clmele@comcast.net
2023 Literary Competition winner
Amelia Kazimierczak
On Saturday, December 16, 2023, the Hartford Saturday Language School held their Christmas Awards ceremony which included the essay winner for its annual Ana Mae Maglaty Literary Award Competition. The essays were written in Polish. The entire school assembled to here the announcement of the winner. Members of the Polish Cultural Club of Greater Hartford were present for the ceremony and to issue the grand prize.
The competition was very well received by the school and they had a lot of entries that came in. The 1st place winner of the $ 250 prize was Amelia Kazimierczak. Amelia is a very bright Polish American student who is 10 years old. She is in the Klasa 4 at the language school and also attends public school.