2008 YOUNG NATIVE WRITERS ESSAY CONTEST OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM
(ONLY FOR USE WITH ESSAYS BEING MAILED IN AND NOT FOR ESSAYS BEING SUBMITTED ONLINE)

I HEREBY CERTIFY that I am the sole author of the attached essay and hereby submit my essay to the 2008 Young Native Writers Essay Contest and state that, in writing my essay, I have not plagiarized or otherwise infringed upon the rights of any third parties.

Mail this Entry Form along with two copies of your essay to:

Young Native Writers Essay Contest
Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 2877
Tampa, FL 33601-2877

or

Young Native Writers Essay Contest
Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc.
100 North Tampa Street, Suite 4100
Tampa, FL 33602

Direct questions to indian@hklaw.com or call toll-free 1-866-452-2737.

Complete contest rules, writing guidelines and prize information can be found on our Web site at www.indian.hklaw.com. Don't want to mail your essay? Submit it online at www.indian.hklaw.com!

Students responding to this year’s writing contest should present in an essay of no more than 1,200 words, (a) specific or general struggles and/or triumphs of Native Americans in history or in today's world, based on the students experiences and scholarly research; and (b) how the writer will use his or talents to enhance the future of his or her own Native American community. See contest rules below for complete details and submission requirements.

SUBJECT SUGGESTIONS: Subject suggestions include, but are not limited to, Native American involvement in treaties, governments (Federal and Tribal), languages, education, folklore, religion, entertainment, health, nutrition, media, sports, and current events.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION: In preparation for writing, students should draw from their own personal knowledge and research information from a variety of sources. Primary and secondary source material could include: historical and reference material, interviews, personal experiences, oral testimonies, official documents, diaries, letters, autobiographies, newspapers, academic journals, films and television movies, CD-ROM, and Internet sources.

PRIZES

The following prizes will be awarded to winning essayists:

Five (5) First-Place Winners will each receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., (tentatively scheduled for June 22-27, 2008) to visit the National Museum of the American Indian, and other prominent sites.

The winners will be accompanied by the teachers who inspired their entries into the contest. First-Place Winners will receive a special award for display at home or school. In addition, each First-Place Winner will receive a scholarship ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to be paid directly to the college or university of their choice.

Entry Deadline is April 15, 2008


OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ ALL OF THE CONTEST RULES. Entries that do not adhere strictly to these rules and guidelines will not be judged.

SUBMITTING ESSAYS BY MAIL: You may mail your essay and your entry form to Young Native Writers Essay Contest c/o Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc., 100 North Tampa Street, Tampa, FL 33602 (or to the same addressee at PO Box 2877, Tampa, FL 33601). Entries must be sent by U.S. Mail (or other delivery service). Entries may not be sent via facsimile or by e-mail. Entries must be received no later than April 15, 2008. Entries that arrive after the entry deadline will not be accepted.

All mail-in essays MUST have an entry form included with them. Click here to print out the Entry Form.

SUBMITTING ESSAYS ON-LINE: After November 1, 2007, you may also enter your essay on-line at indian.hklaw.com. Follow directions at the Web site. Entries must be uploaded to the site no later than 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, April 15, 2008. Entries that arrive after the entry deadline will not be accepted.

REFERENCES REQUIRED: Every essay must include a Bibliography, Work Cited, or Reference Page.

WORD COUNT: Essays should comprise no more than 1,200 words. When conducting your word count, include all words contained on your cover page (if any), the body of your essay, and words used in your Bibliography, Works Cited, or Reference page.

LANGUAGE: Essays must be in English

YOUR NAME: Please do not include your name anywhere on any page of your essay, other than the title page, if you have one. If you mail your essay, make sure it includes your entry form with your name on it and clip or staple the entry page to your essay. If you submit your essay on-line, you will be required to fill out an entry form that will include your name.

RESEARCH: While this is a creative writing project, research must be an integral element of the writing process and essays must contain a Bibliography, Works Cited, or Reference Page, citing all materials used in the research and writing of the essay (parenthetical documentation must accompany research).

ESSAY FORMAT: The essay must be in prose format and may be a commentary or interpretation of primary and secondary source material such as: historical and reference materials; interviews; eyewitness accounts and oral histories; official documents and other primary sources; readings from diaries, letters, autobiographies, and works of poetry; video, or audiotapes, films, art, CD-ROM and Internet sources. The essay must not be a fictitious story or poem. The essay must be primarily directed toward examining the writing prompt.

JUDGING: Entries will be judged anonymously and will not be returned to students. Submissions that adhere to the guidelines will be judged with special attention to (1) evidence of relevant reading and thoughtful use of resource materials; (2) treatment of the assigned themes; and (3) clear and effective language, mechanics and grammar; and a coherent plan of organization.

AUTHOR OF ESSAY: Each essay must be the work of one student and may not be the collective work of more than one student. By submitting an essay, applicants are certifying that their essays are original, authored solely by them, and that in writing their essays, they did not plagiarize or otherwise infringe upon the rights of any third parties.

TEACHERS: It is not necessary for a student to have a sponsoring teacher in order to enter this essay contest. However, high school teachers of Native American students are encouraged to inspire their students to participate, and in doing so, can become eligible to accompany student winners on a Washington, D.C. award trip, with all expenses paid, with the opportunity to take part in teacher seminars.

CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION: Certificates of Participation will be sent by June 1, 2008 to the residence of all students who submit a qualifying entry.

NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS: Winners will be notified of contest results and winning essays will be posted on our Web Site by June 15, 2008. The five winners will join their teachers and Holland & Knight chaperones for an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. tentatively scheduled for June 22 through June 27, 2008. The five winning essays will undergo a finalist judging to determine scholarship levels, and scholarships will be announced at a special event during the award week in Washington, D.C.

SCHOLARSHIPS: Scholarships will be paid to each student's post-secondary educational institution after the student has graduated from high school and upon Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation's receipt of a copy of the student's registration paperwork from said post-secondary educational institution.

POSTING ESSAYS: All essays submitted may be used or published in whole or in part by the Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation or by other parties with its written permission. The Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation reserves the right not to publish any essay it deems inappropriate for any reason.

WASHINGTON DC: The winners of the essay contest MUST agree to participate in the entire trip to Washington, D.C. in order to receive a scholarship. In the event that a winner is unable or unwilling to participate in the trip to Washington, D.C., in its entirety, no substitution prize will be awarded.

MOST UNLIKELY… The Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation reserves the right not to award a prize or any prizes when submissions do not meet contest standards or criteria.

For more information, call us toll-free at 1-866-452-2737. E-mail questions (not essays) to indian@hklaw.com.

INTERNET RESOURCES

National Museum of the American Indian
www.nmai.si.edu 

National Museum of the American Indian Guide for Teachers
www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/teacherguide.pdf 

Native American sites
www.nativeculturelinks.com/indians.html 

Native web
www.nativeweb.org 

Index of Native American Resources for the Internet
www.hanksville.org/naresources/ 

National Indian Education Association
www.niea.org 

Education World: Exploring Native Americans Across the Curriculum
www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson638.shtml 

National Congress of American Indians
www.ncai.org 


For a more complete list of online resources, visit the National Museum of the American Indian Web site at www.nmai.si.edu  and click on “education overview and electronic resources.”

SUBMIT ESSAYS

All entries must include a completed Entry Form. Submit all entries and direct questions to:

Young Native writers Essay Contest
Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc.
100 North Tampa Street, Suite 4100
Tampa, FL 33602

or

Young Native Writers Essay Contest
Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 2877
Tampa, FL 33601

Questions? e-mail: indian@hklaw.com 
Toll-free: 1-866-452-2737
 

ENTRY DEADLINE IS
APRIL 15, 2008!

Graphic Interpretation of the Sun Dance, late 19th c. Painted by Black Chicken (Yanktonai Dakota). Fort Pect Reservation, Montana. 2/3304. Courtesy of National Museum of the American Indian.

Kiowa Camp, 1895. Fort Still, Oklahoma. P13141. Courtesy of National Museum of American Indian.

Late Classic Serape, 1960's, Unknown Navajo Artist. Denver Art Museum Collection: Native Arts Acquisition Funds 1934.86. Used with permission.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of National Museum of American Indian.