An opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to receive a $500 scholarship and a trip to Washington D.C., with a possibility of meeting President Barack Obama, is available through an essay competition presented by the NWI “Keeping the Dream Alive” 2013 and Beyond Project, First Kingdom Management/Be A King Foundation of Atlanta, Ga., along with Leadership Northwest Indiana/South Shore Leadership for Youth Community Engagement Program.
Entrants from the seven-county (Porter, Lake, LaPorte, Starke, Pulaski, Newton, and Jasper) Northwest Indiana Region must submit a typewritten thesis on the topic “21st Century Strategies for Diversity and Inclusion-Bettering our Community."
Seven semi-finalists will be chosen based on their theses to write a full essay, and three winners will be selected upon the review and selection of their completed written essays.
The three high school students chosen for this award will receive a $500 scholarship, an opportunity to be a VIP guest to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Monument in Washington, D.C. in summer of 2014, an opportunity to present their winning essay at “The Dream Symposium” at 1 p.m. Feb. 23, attendance at a reception/book signing and brunch Feb. 23 with Dr. Bernice A. King, youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, VIP Guest status at the “Keeping the Dream Alive” Youth Rally on Feb. 23, and publication of essay in “A Journal for Diversity & Inclusion” publication.
Submission of a 50- to 150-word thesis statement on the topic “21st Century Strategies for Diversity & Inclusion-Bettering Community” is due by 5 p.m. Friday, and seven semi-finalists will be notified no later than Monday.
The seven semi-finalists will be asked to write a 750- to 1,000-word essay based on their submitted thesis no later than at 5 p.m. Feb. 11.
All submissions should be made electronically to essay@leadershipnwi.org, and will be scored with the Six Traits of Writing in mind. The writers of the selected essays will be expected to attend all events of the Youth Rally/”Dream” Symposium on Feb. 23.
Email essay@leadershipnwi.org or call (219) 465-6818 for thesis format.
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