Houston deadline extended to Jan. 31

January 15, 2020
CHALLENGE SITE | Houston

As we head into the final days of essay writing/submission, we have been receiving requests for a little more time for our schools to complete the process.

We know Do the Write Thing falls during a couple of extended school breaks and because of that it can be challenging to get everything done by the deadline.

Therefore, we are extending the essay submission deadline from January 24^th to January 31^st.  This will allow a little extra time to complete the project while still giving adequate time for all essays to be read for the first round of evaluation.

Some teachers have their students write DtWT essays for extra credit or as a writing assignment rather than participate in the actual Challenge. Just as a reminder, we would like ALL essays, regardless of whether they have the cover sheet/parental consent required for judging and moving on in the Challenge, to be submitted so that all student who participated may receive a Certificate of Recognition for their efforts. 

We appreciate all you do to help the Do the Write Thing Challenge be a success every year!

Please let me know if you have any questions. Text me at 713-447-4942.

Houston essay drop-offs

December 18, 2019
CHALLENGE SITE | Houston

Dropping off essays?

We aren’t in the office every day, so please give us a heads up at 713-447-4942 and we’ll make sure to be there.

Our offices is located at 1310 Prairie Suite #800 (corner of Prairie and Caroline) in Houston.

Houston/Harris County at National Recognition Week in Washington DC 2019

October 31, 2019
CHALLENGE SITE | Houston

St. Martha Catholic School’s Ethan Shaw and Deepwater Junior High’s Evelyn Flores along with other Houston and Harris County middle school students had a wonderful trip in Washington DC for the national Do the Write Thing program.

The trip was even featured in the Washington Post.

Pasadena student featured in Washington Post

August 14, 2019
CHALLENGE SITE | Houston

Deepwater Junior High’s Evelyn Flores is a 2019 National Finalists from Pasadena ISD, and her trip to Washington DC was featured in the Washington Post.

On the second floor of the Supreme Court building, in a room not open to the public, a 14-year-old girl stood in front of a lectern and described the moment she learned to stop trusting strangers.

“My tears blurred the object held in the man’s hand,” Evelyn Flores said.

“My mind was aware of my younger sister in her stroller about three feet away, but my feet were glued to the harsh concrete of the street. The gun was aimed at my dad, and he was brought to his knees. My strong father who was always a constant beam of support was weakened by a piece of metal.”

Flores described the scream she couldn’t summon and what happened next: How, through a haze, she could hear taunts thrown at her father by the man, a neighbor. How she ran home to grab a phone so her mother could call the police and how that, at last, made the man flee. How she went to bed that night with red and blue lights flashing outside her window and woke up changed. READ MORE

Columnist Theresa Vargas  of the Washington Post

Flores and other Do the Write Thing Challenge finalists gave a leather-bound book to the Library of Congress containing 50 essays from across the United States.

Harris County-Houston Recognition Ceremony 2019

June 4, 2019
CHALLENGE SITE | Houston

Sunday, May 19, 2019 at the NRG Center, students from schools across Houston and Harris County attended the area recognition ceremony.

Group Wild Fire opened the event.

Houston Do the Write Thing DC Recognition Week 2018 photos

November 13, 2018
CHALLENGE SITE | Houston

2018 Houston/Harris County Recognition Ceremony

September 21, 2018
CHALLENGE SITE | Houston

Houston and Harris County students gathered at NRG Stadium in May for the 2018 Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge Houston/Harris County Recognition Ceremony.

Houston Chief of Police Art Acevedo addresses the honorees at the 2018 Houston/Harris County Recognition Ceremony

Judge Emmett meets with all 2018 Houston/Harris County School Finalists

Stovall Middle School’s Natalie Maldonado receives award from Do the Write Thing Houston/Harris County Chair Harris County Judge Ed Emmett for being a 2018 National Finalist.

Krimmel Intermediate School’s Walker Hammons receives award from Do the Write Thing Houston/Harris County Chair Harris County Judge Ed Emmett for being a 2018 National Finalist.

Judge Lykos is pictured with Krimmel Intermediate’s teacher Holly Walsh and National Finalist Walker Hammons and Stovall Middle School’s teacher Alison Hess and National Finalist Natalie Maldonado