High school students in their sophomore, junior or senior year of study during the 2009-2010 school year are invited to enter the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest.  This contest is sponsored by the Western Reserve Society Sons of the American Revolution and is open to students attending public, parochial, private, or accredited home schools in Cuyahoga County.

Prizes will be awarded on national, state, and local levels.

National Society

First place: $2,000; a winning recognition certificate and medal; and airfare, and one night hotel for the winner and a chaperone at the

                    NSSAR 120th Annual Congress in Cleveland, OH, June 27, 2010
 

                    Publication of essay in the SAR Magazine and on the SAR Web Page

 

Second Place: $1,000, and a recognition certificate

 

Third Place: $500, and a recognition certificate

 

Ohio Society (State)

First Place:  $300, a recognition certificate, one night hotel stay if needed at the Annual State Conference in Chillicothe, OH and to read the winning essay

 

Second Place:  $200, and a recognition certificate

 

Third Place:  $100, and a recognition certificate

 

Western Reserve Society (Local)

First Place:  $100, and a recognition certificate to be award at a monthly meeting

 

Second Place:  $50, and a recognition certificate

 

Third Place:  $25, and a recognition certificate

 

CONTEST RULES

The contest format requires an original essay written in English.  It shall have a minimum of 800 and not to exceed 1,000 words, double spaced typed, excluding the required title page, footnotes, one page bibliography and a one page contestant biography.  (Four double spaced typed pages should put the contestant's essay within the approved word count.) The title page must include: contestant's name, address, social security number, telephone number, title of the essay, name, address, and telephone number of the student's high school.

The topic of the essay shall deal with: an event, person, philosophy, or ideal associated with the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. Students must source at least five (5) references with at least three (3) being printed references. References from Encyclopedias or all electronic references will not be accepted as source material and will cause the essay to be disqualified. Research papers will be judged for historical accuracy, clarity of thought, organization, proven topic, grammar, spelling, and documentation.

The entry deadline for this contest is Wednesday, December 31, 2009.  Entries postmarked after that date will not be accepted.  For complete details of rules go to the NSSAR web page at  http://www.sar.org/youth/knight.html for entering contest, and for other information about the contest please contact:

 

George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest

WRSSAR Contest Chairman

Fred A. Watkins

8191 Kingwood Drive

Mentor Ohio 44060

Or E-Mail  WRSSAROH@AOL.COM for more information

 

 The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2008-2009.