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Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest: Rules and Awards

Rules and Awards

Essay Contest Rules

*****Rules Revised for 2016!*****

Entries must be postmarked no later than February 24, 2016.

  • Participants must be in grades nine through twelve during the contest period. Students can participate if they are attending a public, home, private or parochial high school.
  • Only one entry per student, per year will be accepted.
  • Students who have submitted an essay to this contest in previous years must write an entirely new essay to be considered for a prize in this year’s contest.
  • Essay must be between 750-1000 words in length. The word count does not include works cited/bibliography or citations.
  • Essays must include citations in the paper and in a bibliography/works cited. Sources must be cited using standard MLA or APA format. All website citations must include a URL.
  • A title is required.
  • Essay must be on 8 1/2 x 11 inch white paper; single-sided; typed, double-spaced, page-numbered, and stapled, using the Times New Roman font, at size 12.
  • Submission must include two copies of the essay.
  • A minimum of two, REPUTABLE sources must be cited. Not sure if a source is reputable? Ask your media specialist! This LINK may also be helpful. 
  • Wikipedia can be a good place to start, but should not be cited in the essay and does not fulfill the minimum source requirements.
  • No more than five sources are recommended for the essay contest.
  • Neither the student’s name, nor their school, should appear on the essay (for judging purposes).

 

Submission Rules

  A. Gather and submit these pieces of information in the following order:

  1. Registration Form
  2. Reflection Sheet
  3. Essay (copy 1)
  4. Essay (copy 2)

  B. Staple 1-3 together
  C. Then, paperclip all 4 and mail it to:

Essay Contest Coordinator
Institute for Holocaust Education
333 S. 132nd Street
Omaha, NE 68154
Tel. 402-334-6576

 

 

Please keep a copy of the essay on your computer.

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Entry Disqualifiers

Judges will strictly adhere to all rules. We reserve the right to disqualify any essay for failure to follow any of the above-mentioned rules, including:

  • Incomplete Registration Form
  • Essay does not meet the minimum/maximum word requirement
  • Insufficient or incorrectly cited bibliography
  • No Pre-writing reflection sheet
  • Multiple entries per student
  • Plagiarism
  • No sponsor or contestant signature

 

Essay Judging

Judges are asked to pay special attention to ideas, voice, organization and conventions.

The judges for the essay contest are volunteers from the Omaha community including individuals from both the business sector and educational institutions - from diverse professional and personal backgrounds.

All qualifying essays are read and scored at least twice.

 

Incentives and Awards

Winning students will be notified in advanced, asked to send a digital copy of their essay, and invited to attend the April 25th, 2016 Awards Ceremony.

The most outstanding essays will be awarded the following prizes.

1st Place:     $800
2nd Place:    $550
3rd Place:     $300

Note: There are 1st, 2nd & 3rd place prizes for both 9th-10th grade and 11th-12th grade - six prizes in all.

Honorable Mentions will receive a $100 prize, and all Winners and Honorable Mentions will receive a personalized letter of achievement sent to their superintendent, principal and teacher.

Teacher Sponsor Awards

The three educators with the highest percentage of student entries making it to the second round of judging (top 20% of essays) will win recognition and prizes as well.

First place - $250 Book store Gift Card
Second place - $150 Book store Gift Card
Third place - $100 Book store Gift Card

 

We gratefully acknowledge the Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation’s generous support of the essay contest, including the student and teacher awards.

Omaha Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, citizenship status, or economic status in its programs, activities and employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following individual has been designated to address inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Superintendent of Schools, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (531-299-9822).

Las Escuelas Públicas de Omaha no discriminan basados en la raza, color, origen nacional, religión, sexo, estado civil, orientación sexual, discapacidad , edad, información genética, estado de ciudadanía, o estado económico, en sus programas, actividades y empleo, y provee acceso equitativo a los “Boy Scouts” y a otros grupos juveniles designados. La siguiente persona ha sido designada para atender estas inquietudes referentes a las pólizas de no discriminación: El Superintendente de las Escuelas, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (531-299-9822).