(To be received prior to arrival of students for fall semester)
Ms. Jane Doe
English Department
--- High School
Dear Ms. Doe:
The Optimist International Foundation annually conducts an Essay Contest open to high school students in grades 10, 11 and 12 who are under age 19 by 12/31/99. Each year the essays have a given title relating to democracy and freedom. Please allow me to provide the current title now hoping that English teachers will stimulate interest among students, or even include such an essay assignment for their students this fall. I will provide a poster, official entry forms and rules when they are available in about a month. We also hope students will see our poster on the school bulletin board and become enthused about the essay contest.
Essay Title: Where Would I Be Without Freedom?
Length: 400-500 words
Deadline: (Probably late January?)
Essays received by the Optimist Club are judged to determine the winner. Winning essays from each Club advance to the District (San Diego and Imperial counties) where they are judged again. The District winner will receive a four-day expense-paid trip to the Freedoms Foundation Youth Leadership Conference next July.
An International Essay Panel will judge the district winning essays. Scholarships are awarded as follows:
first place$5,000;
second place$3,000; and third
place$2,000.
In addition to the scholarship, the first place winner receives an expense paid trip with his/her parents to be honored at the next annual Optimist International Convention.
The -- -- Optimist Club is proud to encourage and sponsor high school students in endeavors such as the Essay Contest. From the comments we have received from students who have attended the leadership conference, and their parents, we feel that every student who enters the contest will benefit. Last year the District winner was a senior at Serra High School. I will be sending you the Essay Contest materials soon. We appreciate your help.
Sincerely,
--signed--
Essay Contest Chair
-- -- Optimist Club