The 2024 4th Annual Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize Call for Submissions: 

Growing, Learning, Aging.

Are you a patient, caregiver, clinician, administrator, employee, faculty, student, community partner or neighbor of Jefferson who is interested in the topic of growing, learning and aging? These concepts fit into the continuum of experience, whether you are 25, 65, or 105.

We invite you to submit stories, poems, or essays for consideration. Everyone has a unique voice, and we want to hear from as many of you as possible. The deadline for submission is December 31, 2024. Cash prizes will be awarded as follows: $2000 for first place, $1000 for second place, and $500 for third place.

All submissions to the Yeo Writing Prize also will be considered for publication in the next issue of Evanescent: A Journal of Literary Medicine.  We also encourage original works of art (photography, drawings, paintings, digital art) for the next issue of Evanescent (though only works of writing will be considered eligible for the Yeo Prize).

We offer the following prompts as mental firecrackers to get you thinking and writing. 

Cultural views on aging| How does, where, and by whom we were raised influence our views of aging?

Disconnectedness and connectedness| Being connected to others has been shown to have mental and physical health benefits, and loneliness has the opposite effects. Consider what makes connections easier as we move through life—and what disconnects us from others.

Generational lens| Your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions.  Joel 2:28-32. At different stages, we view life through different lenses that may filter and shape how we see things over time and may change as we age. What has shaped your generational lens? What can we learn from other generations?

Health| Both health and aging are a continuum of experience, yet at any age, as we travel through different seasons of life, our health changes and transitions as well. Health changes may open or close a door. Share a story or poem about your experience at the intersection of aging and health.

Legacy| Legacy is what we leave behind. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou) Reflect on this idea. Write about someone else’s legacy or maybe your own.

Meaning| Many of us derive pleasure and fulfillment in our careers/studies, volunteer work, and in our roles within our families. They often give a sense of purpose. Conversely, periods of languishing can feel meaningless. As we age, our bodies, minds, and activities and relationships that give us meaning change. Tell us a story or write a poem about how those changes may influence how we see ourselves.

Nostalgia| “There are places I’ll remember all my life though some have changed...” (John Lennon & Paul McCartney) Remembering, reminiscing, a yearning for something we miss—what is it for you? Reflect on that in a poem or story.

Roles and relationships| We have many different roles and relationships throughout our lives that are often intrinsic to our identities, which change and evolve as we grow older and enter different phases of life. Can you share a story or poem about how a role or relationship evolved through a period of transition? 

Sense of agency| As we age, our sense of who calls the shots ebbs and flows. When is it appropriate to take on more autonomy, give up bits of it, or share it with others? What are the challenges that come with changes in agency?

Technology across the lifespan | Where do you draw the line? In the flood of technology tools, which will you refuse to adopt? Which ones will you embrace? Why?

Transitions | Write a story or a poem about a time you found yourself in a new phase of life—whether it was a transition you didn’t anticipate or one you hoped for. Explore your emotions, challenges, and growth as you navigated this uncharted territory.

Vulnerability and safety| People may experience different and changing vulnerabilities throughout their lives. How is the experience of aging intertwined with vulnerability? What kind of vulnerabilities does aging encompass? What can be learned from one’s own vulnerabilities?

Wisdom| With age comes wisdom, as the adage goes. But is it true? And if so, why? What is it about aging that gives us greater vision across our life and the experience of life in general? Conversely, is there a wisdom of youth, and if so, what happens to it with age? Can we ‘age’ backwards? What would that mean? What might we lose or gain?

Submission Information

The deadline for submission is Sunday December 31, 2023 at 11:59pm. Submissions for the contest should not exceed 2,500 words. Please do not include your name, department, or any other identifying information in the submitted writing. Enter this information as prompted in the submission form. To be considered for the Prize, you must have an affiliation with the Jefferson community (patient, caregiver, community partner, student, volunteer, staff). Limit one entry per person. The spirit of the Prize is to encourage and stimulate new writing in response to the prompts. With that in mind, unfortunately we cannot accept submissions of previously published essays. 

Click here to read previous issues of Evanescent: https://www.jeffersoncovidstories.com/evanescent