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Do the Write Thing (DtWT) 2024

What is the Do the Write Thing Challenge?

Do the Write Thing (DtWT) is a national writing program that gives middle school students the chance to speak out about how violence affects their lives and share their ideas about what must be done to stop it. This program allows the students to become community catalysts, as they examine the root causes and impact of youth violence. The Office of the Attorney General has sponsored the program since 2015.

Students Write, We Listen.

The Office of the Attorney General is committed to listening to community members and collaborating with local leaders, and that includes our young people. Each year, students are rising to the challenge of doing something to end youth violence through powerful writings. Through classroom discussions and writings, students communicate what they think should be done to reduce youth violence. In addition, they make personal commitments to do something about this problem.

Submission Guidelines

Who Can Enter Do the Write Thing?

Open to all middle school students, grades 6-8.

Entry Format

Written in English only.
Approximately 500-1,000 words(Works of poetry may be shorter)
Typed (preferred) or hand-written in black ink.
Submitted on 8 1/2" x 11" paper.
Single-sided pages.
Numbered pages.

Entry Content

Any form of written expression (e.g. essays, poems, plays, songs)
Entries must address the following questions:
- How has violence affected my life?
- What are the causes of youth violence?
- What can I do to reduce youth violence?
Positive and non-derogatory language.
Fictional writings must be identified as such(Strong preference will be given to non-fiction writings).
Writings based upon plagiarism will not be considered.
Credit must be given to outside sources.

Entry Submission

Entries must be written by only one student.
"Cover Sheet" with signed consent statement (by student and a parent/guardian) must be included
- See the attached Cover Sheet at the end of this packet.
- Entries without a signed Cover Sheet will not be considered.
No personal contact information should appear on the body of the written entry.
Entries must be submitted in the form they are received.
Editing by someone other than the student is not permitted.

Review These Resources Prior to Submitting an Entry

Educator Packet(for School Administrators)

Principal Letter(for School Administrators)

Cover Sheet(for Students)

Where Do I Submit My Entry?

All submissions are due by Friday, April 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM. Click here to submit an entry.

For More Information

For more information, please contact Ty Knight at[email protected].

Beware of Offers for COVID-19 Tests from Unauthorized Resellers or Peer-to-Peer Sites

January 4, 2022

OAG has learned that some individuals are trying to profit from this pandemic by reselling COVID-19 tests on craigslist and other peer-to-peer sites. Consumers should avoid purchasing COVID-19 tests from unauthorized retailers or sellers.

D.C. Joins Federal Trade Commission, California in Opposing Merger between Fantasy Sports Sites DraftKings and FanDuel

June 19, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine announced today that the District has joined with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the State of California in filing a complaint opposing a proposed merger between DraftKings, Inc., and FanDuel Limited. Such a merger between the two largest providers of paid daily fantasy sports contests, the government agencies argue, would lessen competition in violation of federal antitrust laws.

AG Racine Announces Local Nonprofits That Will Run Cure The Streets Violence Reduction Program Sites in Four New Neighborhoods

March 4, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced grant awards to four community-based organizations that will run new Cure the Streets violence reduction program sites in Wards 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8.

AG Racine Leads 19-State Coalition Opposing Texas Order Drastically Limiting Number Of Ballot Drop-Off Sites

October 12, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today led a group of 19 state Attorneys General in supporting a challenge to a Texas Executive Proclamation that limits the number of absentee ballot drop-off sites in the state to one per county and shutters sites that were already open.

CONSUMER ALERT: Avoid Using Unencrypted Messaging Sites Like Facebook Messenger to Communicate About Seeking Abortion Services

October 19, 2022

The Office of the Attorney General issued a consumer alert in June 2022 about protecting your data privacy when seeking an abortion.

Emoluments Lawsuit

Media

(6/12/17)
Emoluments Lawsuit FAQs(6/12/17)
Attorney General Racine Responds to Department of Justice’s Motion to Dismiss Emoluments Clause Lawsuit(9/29/17)
(11/08/17)
Court Order in Emoluments Case Allows DC and Maryland to Serve Subpoenas for Document Preservation on Trump Businesses(11/29/17)
Statement of Attorneys General Karl A. Racine and Brian E. Frosh on Today’s Federal Court Arguments on Emoluments Lawsuit(01/25/18)
AGs Racine and Frosh Welcome Federal Court Ruling Allowing Lawsuit Against President Trump to Move Forward (3/28/18)
Attorney General Racine and Maryland Attorney General Frosh to Hold Media Availability after Emoluments Hearing June 11
Statement from AG Racine on Court's Historic Ruling in Emoluments Lawsuit (07/25/18)
Statement from AG Racine on Federal Court Ruling Denying President Trump Request To Block Emoluments Lawsuit (11/02/18)
Emoluments Lawsuit Update: Making History and What’s Next (11/21/18)
Press Call regarding TrumpEmoluments lawsuit after the Fourth Circuit victory (05/14/20)

Legal Documents

Plaintiffs' Complaint(6/12/17)
Defendant's Motion to Dismiss(9/29/17)
Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to Serve Document Preservation Subpoenas(10/25/17)
Defendant's Response to Motion for Leave to Serve Document Preservation Subpoenas(10/27/17)
Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to Serve Document Preservation Subpoenas(11/02/17)
Plaintiffs' Memorandum of Law in Support of Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss(11/07/17)
- Declarations in Support of Opposition to Motion to Dismiss(11/07/17
Order Granting Leave to Serve Preservation Subpoenas(11/28/17)
Order Approving Parties' Oral Argument Schedule(01/12/18)
Plaintiffs' Memorandum in Support of Plantiffs' Motion for Leave to File an Amended Complaint(02/23/18)
Plaintiffs' Amended Complaint(02/23/18)
Order Granting Motion for Leave to Amend (03/13/18)
Defendant's Statement of Interest Regarding Individual Capacity Complaint (03/26/18)
Standing: Order and Opinion (03/28/18)
Defendant's Motion to Dismiss as it Relates toHis Individual Capacity (05/01/18)
Plantiffs' Memorandum of Law in Support of Plantiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss of Defendant in his Individual Capacity (05/18/18)
Order on Motion to Dismiss(07/25/19)
- Opinion on Motion to Dismiss (07/25/18)
Plaintiffs' Joint Recommendation on Next Steps (08/15/18)
Defendant's Motion for Certification of Appeal (08/17/18)
Defendant's Response in His Official Capacity (09/05/18)
Joint Discovery Plan (09/14/18)
Plaintiffs' Opposition to Certification of Interlocutory Appeal (09/17/18)
- Defendant's Support to Certification of Interlocutory Appeal (09/26/18)
- Order on Interlocutory Appeal and Stay (11/02/18)
- Opinion on Interlocutory Appeal and Stay (11/02/18)
Plaintiffs' Proposed Schedule of Discovery (11/21/18)
- Defendants' Opposition to Proposed Discovery Schedule (11/30/18)
- Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of Proposed Discovery Schedule (12/02/18)
Defendants' Individual Capacity Request for Status Conference (12/03/18)
Scheduling Order Regarding Discover (12/03/18)
- Trump Organization Subpoenas (12/04/18)
- Federal Government Subpoenas (12/04/18)
- State of Maine Subpoenas (12/05/18)
Trump Individual Capacity Notice of Appeal (12/14/18)
Plaintiffs' Notice of Voluntary Dismissal in Individual Capacity (12/19/18)
Plaintiffs' Suggestion of Mootness Regarding Defendant's Stay Motion (12/19/18)
Emoluments Stay (12/20/18)
- Defendant's Reply in Support of Motion to Stay (12/20/18)
Fourth Circuit Mandamus Schedule (12/21/18)
Order Granting Motion to Extend Filing Time(01/22/19)
Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss Appeal (01/23/19)
Order Granting Establishment of Deadlines (01/24/19)
Respondents’ Brief In Opposition To Petition For Writ Of Mandamus (02/06/19)
Appellant's Reply Brief (02/22/19)
Fourth Circuit Opinion (07/10/19)
Plaintiffs'Petition for Panel Rehearing or Rehearing En Banc in Official Capacity (08/26/19)
Plaintiffs'Petition for Panel Rehearing or Rehearing En Banc in Individual Capacity (08/26/19)
Plaintiffs' Letter to the Court Regarding CREW Case Ruling (09/13/19)
- Defendants' Response Letter Regarding CREW Case Ruling (09/16/19)
Order for Rehearing En Banc in Fourth Circuit for Official Capacity(10/15/19)
Order for Rehearing En Banc in Fourth Circuit for Individual Capacity(10/15/19)
- Plaintiffs' Supplemental Brief (11/14/19)
- Defendant's Supplemental Brief in Official Capacity (11/14/19)
- Defendant's Supplemental Brief in Individual Capacity (11/14/19)
Opinion in Fourth Circuit En Banc Rehearing for OfficialCapacity (05/14/20)
Opinion in Fourth Circuit En Banc Rehearing for Individual Capacity (05/14/20)
Opposition to Extend the Stay of District Court Proceedings in Official Capacity (06/17/20)
Opposition to Extend the Stay of District Court Proceedings in Individual Capacity (06/17/20)
Order Granting Stay from Fourth Circuit for Official Capacity (07/09/20)
Order Granting Stay from Fourth Circuit for Individual Capacity (07/09/20)

In the Public Interest: Attorney General's Annual Report

Every day over the past three years, my colleagues and I have worked hard to establish an independent Office of the Attorney General (OAG) that zealously represents the interests of the District and is responsive to the needs of our city’s most vulnerable residents. After listening to the needs of District residents, we have prioritized issues such as preserving affordable housing, employing evidence-based juvenile justice reforms, protecting consumers, and safeguarding public integrity.

Establishing the Public Advocacy Division: OAG launched a new Public Advocacy Division to amplify and expand our existing work to protect tenants, workers, and our residents’ values. This division is now more than 15 attorneys strong and has secured several wins that hold neglectful landlords accountable, return money to workers exploited by their employers, and fight federal overreach from the Trump administration.

AG Racine Leads 10-State Coalition Supporting States’ Right To Enact Public Health Policies That Prevent Opioid Overdoses

July 6, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today led a coalition of 10 Attorneys General in supporting the rights of states to enact public health policies that can prevent opioid overdoses and save lives. In a friend-of-the-court brief filed today inUnited States v. Safehousebefore the U.S.

AG Racine Announces New Focus on Advocating for the Public Interest in Zoning and Development Cases

December 2, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C.–Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is taking on a new role ofadvocating for affordable housing, racial equity, and environmental justice in the zoning, land use, and related development processes. Previously, OAG was solely required to provide confidential legal counsel to the Zoning Commission or Board of Zoning Adjustment around land use and development in the District—responsibilities that have been transferred to the Office of Zoning.