Jim Luotto Literature Prize

Jim LuottoThe Jim Luotto Literature Prize provides annual awards for outstanding essays written by De Anza students about works of literature. 

The prize is given in honor of Jim Luotto, a beloved literature instructor for more than 30 years in the De Anza College English Department. See below for previous prize winners.

Awards

  • Prizes range from $100 to $300
  • The winning essay will be published in the student edition of Red Wheelbarrow, the college's celebrated literary magazine 

Deadline to Apply

  • Submit your essay no later than 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024

Rules for Entry

  • The prize competition is open to students who have written an essay for an English course at De Anza College in the past year. You can submit an essay written for class, or submit a revised or expanded version.
  • Your essay must present an analysis of one or more literary texts.
  • The essay must be a minimum of 3 pages and a maximum of 10 pages long.
  • Submit your essay along with a separate, one-page typed cover letter stating your academic and career goals.
    • Include your name, email address, mailing address and phone number.
    • Be sure to identify the course for which you wrote your essay.
  • Send your entry (essay and cover letter) to Julie Pesano, chair of the English Department Literature Committee, at pesanojulie@deanza.edu 

For more information, please contact Julie Pesano at pesanojulie@deanza.edu 

Thank You for Your Support

Prize awards come from donated funds. Please consider donating through the Foothill-De Anza Foundation. 

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2023 Grand Prize Winners

  • Aiden Glennon: "Separate, But So Unequal: How Anne Bradstreet Found Power in Poetry" 
  • Jennilyn Phee: "Finding the Secrets to Your Own Universe" 
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