‘Being an American’ Essay Competition accepting entries

Local high school students planning to participate in the national Being an American Essay Contest are being reminded by the Bill of Rights Institute that all entries must be submitted by Dec. 1, 2008.

Cash prizes totaling nearly $200,000 and a trip to our nation’s capital will be awarded to winning students and their teachers for exploring the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship. Teachers can submit essays online at www.BeingAnAmerican.org.

Since the September launch of this year’s contest, Washington Wizards’ All-Star Antawn Jamison has helped to promote the contest and has been invited to speak to winning students during their Washington, D.C. trip; The History Channel has signed on as an official sponsor of the contest; and Country music legend Kenny Rogers has been interviewed for a video documentary to be unveiled at the Awards Gala in Washington, D.C.

“The Bill of Rights Institute encourages students and teachers to participate in the 2008-09 Being an American Essay Contest, which offers significant prizes for examining the connection between modern American citizenship and our Founders and their principles,” said Bill of Rights Institute President Victoria Hughes.

This school year is the first in which high school students from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to enter the contest. The contest began in 2006-07 in three states and expanded last year to 19 states and the District of Columbia. Over 17,000 students have participated in the contest to date.

To participate, students are asked to share their thoughts on American citizenship by answering the following question: “What civic value do you believe is most essential to being an American?”

The names of the Top 3 prize winners in the nine regions will be announced at a special Washington, D.C. Awards Gala in March of 2009, during which Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas is scheduled to give keynote remarks. The first place winners in each region and their sponsoring teachers will each receive $5,000 cash awards; second place winners $2,500 and third place winners $1,250. Honorable mention prizes of $250 will be awarded to 63 students, seven from each region.

The contest provides teachers with an easy way to incorporate the essay topic into the classroom. The Bill of Rights Institute provides lesson plans and supplemental materials—which meet national academic standards—at no charge for easy integration into related coursework.

Visit the Being an American web site at www.BeingAnAmerican.org for complete rules and materials. [B][I](PR)
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