Essay contests open now for high school and middle school students

American Revolution essays will focus different topics by grade level

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The local Sacajawea Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has launched two essay contests for high school and middle school students in Thurston and Lewis Counties.

These local competitions are part of a national program sponsored by the DAR and offer several prizes. Entries for both levels are due on November 15.

Middle school contest: Second Continental Congress

Imagine yourself as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, which worked to shape what was to become the United States of America. The DAR asks you to “Imagine that you are a delegate during 1775- 1776. Which colony are you from and what will be important for you to accomplish for your colony?”

Depending on the student's age group, essays range from 300 to 1,000 words. All grade 5, 6, 7, and 8 students in a public, private or parochial school, or those who are homeschooled, are eligible to participate. One essay at each grade level will be selected as the Sacajawea Chapter winner.

All entrants receive a Certificate of Participation.  Local judges will select a winner at each grade level who will receive a bronze medal. The essays then move to the state level where a Silver Medal is granted to the winner; a gold medal goes to the national winner.

Essays will be displayed at the DAR Continental Congress in Washington, DC in June 2023. 

The application packet for middle school students is downloadable here.

High school contest:  Patriots of the American Revolution

Write a biographical essay about of a man, woman or child, famous or little-known, who figured in the events of the American Revolution (1773 – 1783).

Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay Contest,” is open to students in grades 9 through 12. Students are encouraged to choose individuals who captures their imagination and interest, whether they were well-known Founders or everyday men, women, or children. Students research a chosen individual and write an essay about their life.

Last year, nearly 2,200 high school students across the nation wrote essays on a wide variety of Revolutionary figures. The DAR recruited distinguished judges from many different areas of expertise. The contest encourages research by archive exploration using primary sources, online, and/or in person.

Students can step up to the challenge using diaries, Revolutionary-era newspapers, letters, and legal records to create detailed pictures of their chosen subject. Many primary references are online at locales such as the National Archives’ Founders Online project or the Library of Congress’ American Revolution Digital Collection. The application packet also lists resources.

Summary of last year's national winners:

  1. Joseph Coppinger from West Simsbury, CT wrote on Peter Salem, “an emancipated slave who chose to support the colonies in their fight for independence,” who was “born enslaved, but who died a free man and an American Patriot.”
  2. Zachary Henry, from Waco, TX wrote on Benedict Arnold, who, “though reviled to no end by the American people for his treachery, was in fact one of the Continental Army’s ablest and daring generals.”
  3. Diya Kadadi, from Sunnyvale, CA wrote on Mercy Otis Warren, “a patriot of the American Revolution and a trailblazer for women’s rights.”

High school winners will receive monetary awards, pins, and certificates. Locally, the prize is $50, at the state level $150, and at the national level, first, second, and third place prizes are respectively $1,000, $500, and $250. Also, the first-place national winner will be invited to receive their award next summer at the Education Awards Night in Washington DC, during the annual DAR Continental Congress.

The application packet for high school students is downloadable here.

About the sponsor

The Sacajawea Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution was organized by 13 women in Olympia in 1905 and currently has over 200 members. It is part of the larger Washington State Society Daughters of the American Revolution, a Washington Nonprofit corporation registered with the Secretary of State.

The national DAR organization claims some 190,000 members in all 50 states and several other nations.

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