Common Read Writing Contest Event Schedule
Based Upon The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
2013
Monday, January 28 First Day of Classes
Week of February 18 Distribute creative non-fiction essay assignment
Week of February 25 Creative non-fiction essay first draft due
Friday, March 8 All entries due to professor or English Dept.
Thursday, March 22 Short list entries due to judges
March 25 - April 2 Spring Break
Tuesday, April 2-Tuesday, April 9 Judges meet to select final winners.
Wednesday, April 10 Winners contacted
Friday, April 26 Awards Event, 12 noon to 2 pm, S112
Contest Category Overview
Category Description Prizes
Creative Non-Fiction Essay See details First $125
Second $75
Poetry Poem of 12 lines or more First $100
Subject related to race or health Second $50
Short story Three double-spaced pages First $100
Subject related to race or health Second $50
Note: All prizes are Amazon.com gift cards.
(Contest open to current QCC students only)
Overview
In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot uses many forms of research to find out who was the
person from whom the HeLa cells were gathered and what happened to her and her family: She meets with
doctors, scientists and members of Henrietta’s family, analyzes medical data, gathers material from archives,
gains access to Henrietta’s medical records, and reviews previous articles published. Throughout the process
of gathering this external research, Skloot emphasizes her own point of view, personal motivations and the
journey her life takes in her search for answers to the many questions of the HeLa story.
The Assignment
Your assignment is to write a non-fiction essay that emphasizes your own experience in doing research.
This essay will enable you to discuss your personal role in uncovering information, write creative
description and narration and convince readers of your own informed point of view.
THREE SAMPLE QUESTIONS (CAN BE FURTHER PERSONALIZED BY INSTRUCTOR)
#1) Find additional information about an acquaintance or family member who grew up during
a different time period or is originally from a different country. What was her life like?
What were her challenges? How was this research experience similar to or different from what Skloot
reports she went through when she was trying to understand details about Henrietta Lacks’ history?
#2) Find out additional information about a job you are interested in pursuing. Interview someone who
holds such a position (or similar one). What are the requirements, challenges and rewards of such a job?
Have your goals changed since finding out this information? Did you have an experience similar to what
Skloot reported when she first learned about Henrietta Lacks?
#3) Participate in a cultural event that is different from your own. What are the traditions of food,
dress, celebration, family relationships and religious observance (if a religious culture)? How are they
different from yours? What do you learn about your own culture observing these differences?
Compare your experience with what Skloot went through when she observed the difference
between the “”White Lackses” and the “Black Lackses.”
#4) Evaluate an interaction between a medical professional and a patient. Compare this interaction
with what Skloot writes about Henrietta’s or Deborah’s experiences. Has the medical profession
changed since Henrietta’s treatment? Why do you think these changes have occurred? Are there
additional changes that need to be made?
Format
3-4 pages, typed as a word document, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, 12 point font.
Note
All entries must contain student telephone numbers.
