Students are encouraged to get pens, paper and thoughts ready to write an essay for the Main Street Covington and Covington News 2013 Thanksgiving Essay Competition.

Serra Phillips of Main Street Covington said her office is now accepting entries.

Students in grades 1-12 are invited to write essays of 500 words or less. The theme is, "What are you most thankful for this year?" Public, private and home-schooled students are eligible to participate.

The deadline to submit essays is 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. All essays should be sent to or dropped off at Main Street Covington, 2116 Stallings St. NW, Covington, Ga. 30014.

There will be a winner in elementary (first through fifth grade), middle (sixth through eighth grade) and high school (ninth through 12th grade) categories.

Winners will be notified during the last week of November. Each will receive a Kindle Fire, and the winning essays will be posted at Covington City Hall on the notice board and at several other prominent points and businesses around Covington, Phillips said. The winning articles will also be printed in The Covington News.

In addition, winners will be recognized Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Magical Lights of Christmas event in downtown Covington.

For more information, call the Main Street Covington office at 770-385-2077.