The Review, The Beacon and The Sheboygan Falls News join news publications across the U.S. in supporting a National Student Essay Competition designed to deepen a recognition of the First Amendment that strengthens freedom of the press and rebuilds trust.
We believe there is no more important time than now to focus conversation and critical reflection on understanding the crucial relationships among the First Amendment, a free press, and the foundations of democracy.
Students in grades six through eight, grades nine through twelve, and those at universities and colleges are invited to submit essays to their local newspaper examining the state of freedom of the press in the United States today in relation to the First Amendment to our Constitution.
National Student Essay Competition Director Mary Kay Lazarus noted, “The competition is designed to engage the important voices of our students, voices that are vital to the future of a robust democracy, and to expand national dialogue about press freedom by encouraging discussion at home and in school.”
Students served by The Review and Sheboygan Falls News may submit essays to reply@plymouthreview.com through Friday April 17.
Winners in each category will then be submitted to a national jury who will select the semi-finalists and then the finalists by early September. We will announce local winners the first week in June 2020.
The national winner in each category (grades six-eight; grades nine-twelve; and grades university/college) will each receive a $5,000 check from the Boston Globe Foundation.
The winning essayist with the highest ranking among the three categories will also receive a full four-year scholarship, currently valued at $38,000 a year, to Westminster College in Salt Lake City.
Prizes will be awarded in late fall at the 15th Annual McCarthey Family Foundation Lecture Series: In Praise of Independent Journalism.
More information and entry guidelines will be published in The Review, The Beacon and Sheboygan Falls News or can be found at: https://mklpr.com/national-student-essay-competition
NATIONAL STUDENT ESSAY COMPETITION:
“WHY A FREE PRESS MATTERS IN A DEMOCRACY”
THREE CATEGORIES
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
University/College
CALL-FOR-ENTRIES
Week of Monday, March 2, 2020
Deadline for submissions: Friday, April 17, 2020
Winners from each newspaper announced Monday, June 1, 2020
National winners announced early September 2020
WEBSITE
https://mklpr.com/national-student-essay-competition
studentessays@mklpr.com
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Topic: “Why a free press matters in a democracy”
Deadline: Friday April 17, 2020.
Email a Word document of 500 words maximum typed and double-spaced, to reply@plymouth-review.com. All entries must be original and must include student’s name, phone number, email address, mailing address, name and department of the school and grade or university/college in which the student is currently enrolled. Essays may be submitted anytime prior to the April 17, 2020 deadline.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Originality and thoughtfulness in addressing the topic of “Why a free press matters in a democracy.”
NATIONAL PRIZES
The winner in each category (grades six-eight; grades nine-twelve; and grades university/college) will each receive a $5,000 check from the Boston Globe Foundation.
The winning essayist with the highest ranking among the three categories will also receive a full four-year scholarship, currently valued at $38,000 a year, to Westminster College in Salt Lake City.
Prizes will be awarded late fall at a public event in Salt Lake City hosted by the McCarthey Family, who are funding this national project.
Categories: News
