Are you of Chinese descent, between the ages of 14 and 24, and did you spend an important portion of your teenage life in New York City?

If yes, we invite you to write an autobiographical essay about your experience of growing up as a Chinese person in New York City. The essay should include your thoughts and ideas on your identity, family, friends and school, and how they impact you and the Chinese American community. Be sure to write an open and honest paper about how being Chinese affects your everyday life. 

All essays should be submitted to Drs. Ting Lei and Uwe P. Gielen who are currently preparing a book tentatively entitled Growing Up Chinese in New York City. There are two separate competitions: one for high-school age people and one for undergraduate students and college-age non-students. (If you attended a high school in New York but are now attending a college elsewhere, you are also eligible.) The two winning essays will be included in the book. 

The two winning essay writers will each receive $500.
The two runner-up essay writers will each receive $250.

Your essay can be submitted in English or in Chinese. English language essays should be about 2,000-4,000 words (8-16 double-spaced pages) in length. When writing the essay, please change the name(s) of any person(s) that you are writing about. Also, you can use any writing style that you are comfortable with. You are welcome to write about any aspect of your life, as long as it pertains to the Chinese American experience.

Essays must include a 'Contest Entry Form' that can be downloaded here. 

The deadline is MARCH 31, 2009.

如果您的年齡在14到25歲之間，並且在紐約市住過相當長的一段時間，請您寫下您的自傳。自傳內容是關於您在紐約市的成長經驗。自傳須包括您對您自己的自我認同，家庭，朋友以及學校的看法，並且談談這些因素對您及中國社團的影响。

當您寫下身為華裔美人對您的日常生活有些什麽樣的影响，請務必坦誠。所有的論文皆須寄給雷霆或是基倫教授已做為“在紐約市成長的中國人”一書的选取材料。論文競賽包括兩個部分。第一部分是針對高中年紀的對象；第二部分是針對大學年紀的對象 (假如您在紐約市的高中但目前在外地讀大學， 您也可以參加）。頭獎的兩篇論文將被刊載于上述書中。

頭獎論文將各得美金500元
次獎論文將各得美金250元