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Media ArticleDorothy Shaw Young Writers Competition to become an AAD activityMedia Release - 8 May 2006From this year, the well known Dorothy Shaw Young Writers Competition will be an activity of the Australian Association of the Deaf (AAD). Australian Communication Exchange (ACE) has very generously agreed to give ownership of this Competition to AAD so that it remains true to its heritage and purpose. ACE will continue to support the Competition as a sponsor. AAD is very grateful to ACE for this decision and the continued sponsorship. We applaud ACE for acknowledging the importance of the Competition to the Australian Deaf community and its cultural heritage. We particularly wish to thank Peter Miller, ex-Interim CEO of ACE who initiated the transfer of the Competition to AAD, and Wayne Gilbert, the current ACE CEO, who is finalising the transfer. The Competition is for Deaf and hard of hearing students aged 7 – 18. Prizes are given for the best three stories in three categories – Junior, Senior and Young Adult. The first prize winner in each category also wins a prize for their school. There will be some minor changes to the Competition – it will start later in the year than it used to and winners will be announced during National Week of Deaf People instead of during Book Week. The purpose, eligibility, criteria, rules and judging procedures will remain the same. AAD will soon be sending information about this year's Competition to schools and other organisations. Information will also soon be on our website, www.aad.org.au The Dorothy Shaw Young Writers Competition was established by Deafness Resources Australia (DRA) in 1992 with funds that were donated in lieu of flowers at Dorothy's funeral. Dorothy Shaw OAM was very involved in the establishment of DRA. DRA set up the Competition as a way to honour and remember her for her contributions to the Deaf community, and her particular interests. When DRA merged with Deaflink in 1995 to become Australian Communication Exchange the Competition became an ACE activity. With the recent changes at ACE that have resulted in few Deaf and hard of hearing people now being actively involved in the organisation, ACE was approached with the suggestion that if the Competition could not revert to being under the DRA name then it be transferred to AAD. Dorothy's family and others in the Deaf community were consulted, and the ACE Board agreed to the transfer. As well as her many other involvements, Dorothy Shaw was AAD's founding President and by agreeing to transfer the Competition to AAD, ACE has honoured her memory and the Competition's heritage by ensuring that it remains within a Deaf organisation. AAD says: Thank You, Australian Communication Exchange!
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