The Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize, the annual writing contest of the Eakins Writers’ Workshop, is an invitation for all members of the Jefferson community to engage in the empowering act of writing. Writing can be exploratory, therapeutic, enjoyable, and much more. While we may not think of ourselves as writers, we all harbor creativity. Our roles as members of a large health system place each of us in a unique opportunity to witness and be a part of incredible stories every day. The Prize is a call to share those stories and recognize the impact they can have on ourselves and our community.

The Prize is sponsored by the Jefferson Center for Injury Research and Prevention, which runs the Eakins Writers’ Workshop and publishes Evanescent, a literary journal that provides a creative forum for people to explore and share stories about their personal experiences with injury. The editorial team consists of Stanton Miller, MD, Danielle Snyderman, MD, Kyle Conner, MA; Pamela Walter MFA, Martha Ankeny MEd., and student editors Sarah Lawson and Blake Weil.

The mission of The Prize is:

• To encourage and enable writing as a conduit for healing, self-reflection, and interconnectedness both for the individual and the community

• To highlight and value the many diverse voices of the Jefferson community, including Jefferson patients and the communities they represent, and to foster a sense of belonging in these individuals and communities

• To promote and demystify writing as a powerful tool for self-empowerment for all in the Jefferson community, not only to those who consider themselves writers

• To communicate and celebrate our diverse stories and experiences to the larger community

The Prize is open to all current employees, faculty, volunteers, and students of Jefferson at all campuses, sites and offices.

See previous submissions and winning essays here.

Find information on the 2024-2025 Yeo Writing Prize: here