Essay Contest
For Students in Orleans, Jefferson, St.Bernard and St. Tammany Parishes
The Churchill Society of New Orleans sponsors a yearly essay contest with a first prize of $500 to the student that best captures the importance of Winston Churchill in 900 words or less. Second prize is $300, and third prize is $250. The teacher of the winning student also receives a $300 prize if they have been instrumental in bringing the contest to the student’s attention.
Deadline for the 2013/14 Essay Contest is February 28.
How to submit your entry:
EMAIL inquiries about the essay contest to christophertidmore@yahoo.com
OR
MAIL or DELIVER your essay and entry form to the following address:
Churchill Society of New Orleans
5801 St. Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70115
WINNERS
The winning essay will be published in The Louisiana Weekly newspaper and read by the winner on the air on WSLA 1560 AM’s morning program, www. Gtmorning.com. The winner will also be honored at the Churchill Society’s Annual Wine, Wit, and Wisdom event in April, where he or she will be invited to read the essay to the assembled members of the society.
1ST PLACE: $500
2ND PLACE: $300
3RD PLACE: $250
PARTICIPATING TEACHER PRIZE FOR WINNING ESSAY: $300
2013/14 ESSAY CONTEST RULES
1. Using information from Churchill’s biography, or examples of his writing style presented below, in addition to your own research, write a response to one of the Essay Questions presented below.
2. Essay should be 500 – 900 words, double-spaced.
3. Teachers and parents are encouraged to offer help with the research and editing of the essay, but the student must produce the final paper.
4. All entries must include an entry form with phone number for contacting the winners.
Essays will be judged on content, relation to the topic, how the student connects Churchill to current events. Consideration will also be given to essay organization, use of language and writing style.
The first prize winner, along with his/her parents and teacher will be the guests of the Churchill Society at our Wine, Wit and Wisdom event in April, where he/she will receive the prize and will be invited to read the essay.
There will be three cash prizes awarded, plus a cash prize to the teacher if that teacher informed the student about the contest.
This contest is open to all high school students attending public, private, charter, religious schools, or those students who are home schooled, in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany Parishes.
WINSTON CHURCHILL-EXAMPLES OF HIS WRITING STYLE:
“If the population of the English-speaking Commonwealths be added to that of the United States with all that such cooperation implies in the air, sea, all over the globe and in science and in industry, and in moral force, there will be no quivering, precarious balance of power to offer its temptation to ambition or adventure. On the contrary, there will be an overwhelming assurance of security.” (5 March 1946, part of the Iron Curtain speech which reminded Americans of their special relationship to Britain and called for the two countries to present a united front in the face of Communism.)
“Nothing is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.” (1898, Page 117 of Story of the Malakand Field Force)
“Come on now all you young men all over the world… You must take your places in life’s fighting line…..Don’t be content with things as they are….Raise the glorious flags again, advance them upon the new enemies, who constantly gather upon the front of the human army, and have only to be assaulted to be overthrown. don’t take No for an answer. Never submit to failure. Do not be fobbed off with mere personal success or acceptance. You will make all kinds of mistakes, but as long as you are generous and true, and also fierce, you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her. She was made to be wooed and won by youth.” (1930, Page 74 of My Early Life)
“The room, in the grey light with its half-empty glasses and full ashtrays, looked like a woman, no longer young, surprised by an unsympathetic dawn in the meretricious paints and pomps of the previous night.” (1900, Page 117 of Churchill’s one novel, Savrola)
“The destiny of mankind is not decided by material computation. When great causes are on the move in the world, stirring all men’s souls, drawing them from their firesides, casting aside comfort, wealth, and the pursuit of happiness in response to impulses at once awe-striking and irresistible, we learn that we are spirits, not animals, and that something is going on in space and time which, whether we like it or not, spells duty.” (1941 radio broadcast)
2013 ESSAY QUESTION
Churchill believed that there were qualities in the Anglo-American tradition that were of special value to the world. Those qualities include the courage and determination to defeat a Hitler, but also the generosity to forgive and heal a defeated Germany.
Your essay should address one of the following: (1) How might the foregoing views be applied by a Churchill to the circumstances the United States finds itself in today? (2) Describe an American, past or present, who has or had the qualities Churchill admired.
Don’t forget to review the biography material under the History section of the website, and Good Luck!
