A sidney prize is an award designed to recognize individuals working hard to make an impactful difference. These national prizes provide motivation for others who wish to follow in their footsteps; writing contests, activism awards or science awards might be featured among their offerings.
The Neilma Sidney Prize provides young writers an ideal platform to both display their skills and earn some extra cash. Open to students of all ages, it invites participants to write about an issue they care deeply about while earning both cash prizes and publication in Overland magazine and online – thanks to sponsorship by Overland Foundation and Malcolm Robertson Family Trust.
The Sidney Prize offers college students an exciting opportunity to write about topics of personal interest while being recognized by professional publishers. Open to students of all majors, submissions must adhere to certain set of rules such as focussing on an issue relevant to general audiences while written academically.
Amanda Hess’ essay on online sexism won this year’s Sidney Prize. The award recognized her ability to address an difficult subject with clarity and accessibility for readers. Furthermore, it was applauded for its honesty and ability to challenge popular opinion without being afraid of upending accepted narratives. An important theme explored within it included workplace discrimination against women.
David Brooks won this year’s Sidney Prize with his article on student hypersensitivity, coining it “vindictive protectiveness”. Brooks noted how this phenomenon causes mental health problems while hindering students from adapting to real-life situations. Other noteworthy essays included Fred Clasen-Kelly, Carol Motsinger, and Macon Atkinson’s article examining Greenville South Carolina’s urban renewal program’s hidden costs on its Black community.
There are millions of people across the globe working hard to make an impactful difference, and their efforts should be celebrated. Writing contests, activist awards and science prizes provide ways of honoring those working towards their goals while inspiring more people to get involved.
In the past, sidney prizes were only granted to individuals who made significant contributions to society. Now they’re being used as honorary titles in a wide variety of activities – winners can use it to help other achieve their dreams or further their careers, act as a sign of prestige, attract investors or influence potential customers – thus growing its global recognition.