WETA, the PBS Station in Washington, DC, is sponsoring an Edgar Rice Burroughs writing contest that runs through May 4, 2012.  Here is the announcement — please help spread the word about this!  (And here is a direct link to the contest.)

Writer’s Quest with Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) had tried many jobs — from ranch hand to pencil sharpener wholesaler — before he found he could earn a living writing. Burroughs, born in Chicago, is best known for creating “Tarzan” — one of the most memorable fictional characters of all time. It has been 100 years since Burroughs first introduced readers to his jungle hero and to “John Carter” — a hero whose adventures take place in a very different setting — the planet Mars.

Burroughs’ stories about Tarzan and John Carter were first serialized in pulp fiction magazines in 1912 and then published as books. Though Burroughs didn’t start writing until he was 35 years old, he managed to write more than 90 novels before his death in 1950. And while his work is the stuff of adventure, fantasy, and science fiction, he also served as a war correspondent during World War II.

To celebrate the long life of Burroughs’ beloved characters and to recognize the inspiration Burroughs has provided to many readers, writers and filmmakers, you can give your students the chance to learn more about Edgar Rice Burroughs and have a writing adventure of their own with these thought-provoking prompts.

More about Edgar Rice Burroughs

• Biography
• Read A Princess of Mars (1917) by Edgar Rice Burroughs at Read.gov

Learn more about our 2012 writing challenge:

• General information
• Level I Prompt (Grades K–2): Ex Libris
• Level II Prompt (Grades 3–5): Fasten your seat belts
• Level III Prompt (Grades 6–8): Scifaiku
• Level IV Prompt (Grades 9–12): What’s in a name?
• Additional resources
• Recognition and prizes