Wednesday, Dec. 15 is the deadline to enter the Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association Middle School Essay Contest.“Now is the time for middle school students to get creative and write an essay about the value of oysters to the bay and this whole area,” said TOGA contest chair Terry Lewis.

After successful middle school essay contests the past eight years, TOGA is offering prizes of $500, $250 and $100 for first, second and third places, respectively, for the top essays. A prize of $200 will also be awarded to the school of the top entry. The theme of the essays is “Consider the Oyster”—a wide-ranging category that must include an essay that has something to do with oysters.

The competition is open to all Virginia students in grades six, seven and eight. Home-schooled students are welcome to enter. Winners will be announced at the TOGA annual membership meeting on Jan. 22, 2022.

The three top winners will be published on the TOGA website, and may be published in other publica...