The Golden Key
A newsletter for chapter advisors, chapter officers, and regional officers.

Tips to Write By

By now, chapters are well on their way to implementing an impressive lineup of scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship activities. The Hallmark Awards Program provides chapters the opportunity to compete for awards recognizing outstanding activities.

Requirements for each award category vary slightly, but most require an essay and various supporting materials. To make sure your entries reflect the best of your chapter, consider the following tips from award-winning chapters.

Start Now.
Phi Theta Kappa's 2003 Most Distinguished Chapter knows the benefits of planning early. "We started meeting in the summer to plan a slate of programs that would fit together allowing us to reach the goals we set for the chapter," said Kimberly Rogers, Scholarship Officer at Chipola College in Florida.

Advisor Linda McFate of the chapter at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas agrees. Her chapter starts its Hallmark Awards planning in July at the officer retreat. "Our chapter's philosophy is plan the work and work the plan," said McFate, whose chapter took home a coveted 2003 Service Hallmark Award.

Preparing award applications is a lengthy process. If your chapter hasn't done so already, now is the time to give assignments to your awards committee members and begin writing the first drafts of your essays. "Our chapter works by committee, rotating participants for each project with a standing committee and leader. We are all involved, supporting each other's efforts," said Dawn Sears, Chapter President at Arizona's Rio Salado College, recipient of 2003 Fellowship and Service Hallmarks.

Follow directions.
All Hallmark Award Entry Forms are available at www.ptk.org/ hallmarks/forms/. The forms provide detailed entry directions for each awards category. Be sure that all people involved in the entry preparations, even those writing letters of recommendation, read and follow directions carefully. By doing so, your chapter's application can leap ahead of others who were not so careful.

Remember Composition.
The best essays contain a defined thesis statement, several supporting paragraphs and a formal conclusion. The thesis statement tells the reader the purpose for the chapter's selection of activities. The supporting paragraphs allow the chapter to build upon the ideas presented in the thesis by including details of the activities. Finally, the conclusion allows the chapter to tie activities together with end results.

"The essay preparation process provides the vehicle for outcomes assessment," said Robert Saldarini, advisor of the 2003 Runner-up to Most Distinguished Chapter at Bergen Community College in New Jersey. "Members are often amazed at what the 'whole' has accomplished, as they often only see their 'part.' From the college perspective, the applications are sent to the administration. The applications mirror the excellence of our membership and justify continued support from the administration."

Choose Your Style.
Both essays with a theme and those with a simple, straightforward approach win awards. Caution your writers not to become so focused on weaving a theme through the entire essay that they lose sight of the real purpose of the essay - to clearly convey to the judge the impact of the chapter's activities.

Avoid the Laundry List.
Essays should not be a laundry list of every event the chapter conducted. Instead, choose four to five exceptional activities and elaborate on them in the essay. Reserve the complete list of all chapter activities for a particular hallmark for the chronological list.

Conclude with Effects.
In the conclusion, include the effects the chapter's programs had on others. Rather than using a general conclusion like, "we are all better for having participated in the activity," try a more detailed conclusion like, "As a result of our efforts, an inactive chapter is now participating in the Five Star Program for the first time."

Keep Lists Brief.
Make the chronological list brief. Organize information in an easy-to-read format by using columns or tables. Use a couple of short sentences when description is necessary.

Proof and proof again.
In the judging process, entries containing grammatical errors are not automatically disqualified. However, these errors can be a factor in a judge's final decision. When a chapter submits an entry containing errors, this conveys the message that the chapter did not take the competition as seriously as the chapter that corrected its errors in the proofreading process. In the end, this can be a factor in deciding which chapter moves to the "yes" pile, and which one ends up in the "no" pile.

"At least 25 people proofed our applications before we submitted them. A fresh pair of eyes will see problems that those who are immersed in the writing process do not," said Rogers. "Having new members read our application materials was a great way to get them involved in chapter activities."

Get help.
Sample of winning Hallmark Awards essays and excerpts from chronological lists can be found at www.ptk.org/hallmarks/resources.htm.

Direct questions concerning the Hallmark Awards Program to Director of Chapter Programs Tracee Walker at tracee.walker@ptk.org or 601.984.3524.

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This page last modified -- Wednesday, 31-Dec-2003 10:01:54 CST (cwe)