“From Stub to Featured”: The Success of the 2024 Hebrew Wikipedia Women-Related Articles Competition

The “From Stub to Featured” writing competition has made an exciting return to Hebrew Wikipedia, this year focusing on women-related topics. Building on the success of past contests—most recently in 2017—this edition is part of the broader “From Stub to Featured” initiative, which began in 2006. Over the years, these competitions have led to the creation of numerous high-quality articles, with many earning featured status.

This year’s contest has again brought together contributors eager to transform short stubs into well-crafted, detailed entries. The competition encouraged participants to write on subjects ranging from biographies of notable women to issues such as women’s health and gender studies. Participation was open to any registered Wikipedia editor, individually or in groups.

Designed to be a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, the competition focused on fostering a love for writing and contributing to Wikipedia. While symbolic prizes were awarded to winners, the primary goal was to reignite the joy of editing, improve the quality of Hebrew Wikipedia’s content, and encourage collaboration within the community—all while welcoming new editors into the fold.

The competition was divided into two main tracks: 

1. Original Articles: Completely new articles created from scratch.

2. Translated Articles: Entries based primarily on articles from other languages. 

To qualify, articles either had to be newly created or significantly expanded from very short stubs (less than 5,000 characters before the competition began). Exceptions were allowed at the judges’ discretion.

The success of the Competition

The competition officially began on April 7, 2024, and for the next three months, both new and seasoned editors worked to expand, create, and translate articles related to women. For some participants, this contest marked their first foray into Wikipedia article writing, introducing them to the community and its professional standards.

The contest saw a variety of entries on different aspects of women’s lives and contributions. The spirit of collaboration was palpable, with contestants and non-participating editors offering feedback to improve articles. We were thrilled by the enthusiasm and hope participants not only enjoyed the experience but also learned a lot along the way.

All in all, the 2024 “From Stub to Star” competition was a tremendous success. 135 new articles were created, 50 of which were original, and 85 were translations. Some focused on women, while others touched on related topics. Participants ranged from veteran editors to those writing their first-ever article, and many expressed how the competition motivated them to continue writing about women, even beyond the event.

We invite everyone to explore the remarkable articles produced during this competition. To all the participants, judges, and organizers—thank you for your dedication and efforts and for contributing to closing the gender gap on Wikipedia.

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Winners of the 2024 Writing Competition

Original Articles Category

1. First Place – נשים בתנ”ך (Women in the Bible): Written by ותן טל (Veten Tal), this article is an excellent exploration of a central theme, thoroughly researched and supported by academic sources.

2. Second Place –  וסת בתרבות (Menstruation in Culture): A detailed and insightful article by לברן (Lavran), focusing on a crucial topic with widespread cultural relevance.

3. Third Place – אמילי דה שאטלה (Émilie du Châtelet): Written by האזרח דרור (The Citizen Dror), this article brings to light the contributions of a brilliant scientist in a time when women’s work in the field was often overlooked.

Honorable Mention – רחלי רוגל (Racheli Rogel): A well-researched article by א 1978, supported by numerous reliable sources.

Translated Articles Category

1. First Place – קורטה סקוט קינג (Coretta Scott King): Written by Itaygur, this article highlights Scott King’s accomplishments, showcasing her as an independent figure.

2. Second Place – דבורה סמסון (Deborah Sampson): A fascinating article by Pixie.ca, this entry goes beyond a simple translation, expanding significantly based on feedback from peers.

3. Third Place – מאיה פליסצקאיה (Maya Plisetskaya): Translated by שלומית קדם (Shlomit Kedem), this article stands out for its polished, flowing Hebrew and depth of detail.

Honorable Mention – מרטה ויירה דה סילבה (Marta Vieira da Silva): A comprehensive and detailed article by הכובען המטורף (The Mad Hatter) on the legendary footballer.

Honorable Mention – שיה פייסו (Xie Peisu): A well-researched piece by Galaranty on a Chinese pioneer in an unusual field.

The Prolific Wikipedian Award – This year’s Prolific Wikipedian Award goes to Crocodile2020, who contributed numerous well-received articles, including entries on אירמגרד פורכנר (Irmgard Förchner), תמר קדם סימן טוב (Tamar Kedem Tov-Siman), עינת רון (Einat Ron) , בטי דייוויס (Betty Davis), לטישה ג’יימס (Letitia Ann James), קארי ג’ונסון (Carrie Johnson), ליליאן ורנון (Lillian Vernon), among others.