About the Contest
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The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts established the League of Women
Voters Citizen Education Fund as an educational trust in 1971. It is a
nonpartisan, not-for-profit fund that supports voter education. Its mission is
to encourage informed and active citizen participation in government through
citizen education and voters service projects. It serves the public, both
individuals and organizations, by providing advice and training on how to make
government responsive and accessible. The goal is to empower citizens to shape
better communities worldwide through grassroots citizen action.
The purpose of the essay contest is to focus students and
their families on issues related to elections, voting, and citizen participation
in government. The contest offers students and their teachers an
opportunity to combine discussions of elections, public policy, and democracy
with information about how to use the Web.
Detailed contest
information such as rules, deadlines and the essay questions can be found on the
website.
All entries must be
submitted electronically.
There are three grade groupings for the contest: grades
4-5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12, with essay questions
specific to each group. There is also an essay question for 18-24 year
olds.
Prizes:
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For grades 4-12, U.S. Savings Bond will be awarded to the
first, second, and third place winners.
-
There will be one prize of $1,000 for the 18-24 year olds
group.
-
The teacher or youth group advisor of the winners in grades 4-12 will receive a
classroom educational grant.
There will be an awards event the afternoon of April 5,
2009 in Faneuil Hall in Boston.
We hope that teachers will use this contest as an
opportunity to talk to students about democracy and issues of citizenship and
urge students to participate and submit individual essays.
Winning essays may be published on this website,
excerpted in The LWV publication Massachusetts Voter, the League of Women Voters
newsletter, that is mailed to members and supporters, and sent to local media
outlets in the winner’s community. | 
