NNSL (Mar 27/98) - Nearly 1,000 entries have been received for the 1998 NWT writing contest. That's up about 200 from last year.

"It's one of our most successful years. It's been great," said Carla Bullinger, executive director of the NWT Literacy Council.

A strong public relations campaign on the radio in January may have contributed to the entry increase.

The council has even seen a increase in the number of original-language entries this year, particulary in the Inuktitut and Gwich'in languages.

"We are really pleased about that, too, because we are really trying to encourage people to write more in their aboriginal language," said Bullinger.

Entries have been received in French, Inuktitut, Gwich'in, South Slavey, Dogrib and English.

A new category has been added to the contest this year called Legends, which promotes original-language writing. Thirty-nine entries have been received.

"We think the writing contest is a really good way to promote literacy for one, but we also think it's a very good way to promote aboriginal-language literacy and to get people writing in their aboriginal language," she said.

The Northern Writes book, which publishes all winning entries from the contest, in each language is an accessible learning tool for people to use in the classroom.

The book can be a means to promote aboriginal languages, said Bullinger.

The winners of the 1998 writing contest will be announced at the end of the month. All winning entries will be published in News/North and Northern Writes.