Students Invited to Enter Black History Essay Contest

Students from middle schools, high schools and colleges in the Menifee Valley and San Jacinto Valley are invited to take part in the 11th annual Black History Month Essay Contest and Awards Ceremony, sponsored by Mt. San Jacinto College.

As the United States celebrates National Black History Month in February, the assignment for students is to pick a person of color who illustrates the triumph of the human spirit over circumstances and prejudice in order to build a life of accomplishment.

Students should write their essay as an Historical Fiction: Imagine yourself living at the time of your chosen person and being acquainted with him/her. You might be his/her child, parent, friend, boss or even an adversary. Write about him/her from your unique point of view.

Make sure that your essay includes the answers to the following questions:
1. Who is the person about whom you want to write?
2. When did he/she live?
3. What did your chosen person do to “triumph over circumstances and prejudice to build a life of accomplishment”?

Contest Rules:

The length of the essay (essays too short or too long will be eliminated from judging):
-- Middle School (grades 6 through 8), 300-500 words
-- High School (grades 9 through 12), 500-1,000 words
-- College (Undergraduate only), 1,000-2,000 words

Home‐schooled and Charter School students are also encouraged to enter. Call 951‐634-4048 for entry details.

The deadline for submission of the essay is 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13. Please submit by email to marymorse@humanrelationscouncil.com. Attach your essay to your email. If it is not possible to submit by email, call Mary Morse at 951-634-4048 for an alternate submission method.

All entering students will be invited to attend the Awards Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 27, to be held at 6 p.m., at the Mt. San Jacinto College's San Jacinto Campus Library building. Every student who writes an essay will receive a Certificate of Participation, which they will receive the night of the event or which will be sent to them. Winning students only will be asked to present their essays at the event. Teachers, counselors, administrators and families are invited to attend. RSVP to Mary at 951-634-4048.

Contest prizes:

High School:
1 Best High School essay, $150
1 Runner‐up High School essay, $75
3 Honorable Mentions, $25 each
1 Best Presentation, $100

Middle School:
1 Best Middle School essay, $150
1 Runner‐up Middle School essay, $75
3 Honorable Mentions, $25 each
1 Best Presentation, $100

College:
1 Best College essay, $150
1 Runner‐up College essay, $75
3 Honorable Mentions, $25 each
1 Best Presentation, $

Donors/sponsors are welcome to help pay for contest prizes.