Inaugurated in 2019, the DBC Creative Writing competition was set up to encourage and recognise good writing among the young people of Dollar. It takes the form of two separate but parallel events, one based in Strathdevon Primary School, the other in Dollar Academy. The competition aims to provide a stimulus and a forum for writing on generally Scottish-based themes, though not specifically on Burns. In Strathdevon, the competitors are all from P7, while in Dollar Academy, there are three groupings – one in the Junior School, also based in P7; one in S2; and an Open category, including any writers up to and including S6.
Writing is generally undertaken in the second term of the school year, with the deadline for submission at the end of March. Teaching staff from each school submit a short list to the DBC judges. Entries are normally judged by a panel drawn from staff in both schools, along with the current President of the DBC, and chaired by the overall organiser, Geoff Daniel [formerly of the English Department, and Deputy Rector of the Academy.]
Awards are made to First and Second places in all three groups, with an unlimited number of Highly Commended Awards. The First place winners at Strathdevon and in Dollar Academy’s Junior and senior schools receive book tokens and, in addition, the Strathdevon winner and the Academy Form II winner are presented with silver trophies, on which their names are engraved [although the trophies are subsequently retained for display by the respective schools]. Runners-up also receive book tokens, and all award-winners receive DBC certificates.
Each year, a general theme is set:
2019, the inaugural theme was the very broad-based “Scotland”
2020, the theme was that of VisitScotland’s “Year of Coasts and Waters”.
2021, the theme was “Shaped by Place” – character studies that have a connection to a setting
The entries can be in any style or format, in standard English or Scots.