The essay must be a contestant s original work and a product of the contestant s own thinking. Quotations may be used sparingly if plainly identified wherever used. A contestant s teacher, counselor or parent may check the essay for punctuation, grammar and or spelling. All entries should be typewritten in English and cannot be less than 300 words or more than 400 words. Essays not meeting the word count will be eliminated.
Every word is counted regardless of length.
When numbers are used as part of an essay, they will be counted in the same fashion as a word. The essay title does not contribute to the word count. The winning essay, entry form, picture, District Youth Essay Contest Report and District Youth Essay Contest Participation Summary Report must be forwarded and received by the Department Chairman by February 2, 2002. I certify that the student named in Section A of this entry form is the duly selected winner of the 2001-2002 Youth Essay competition in this State and is our SOLE official entry in the National judging. The winning Department essay, entry form and picture must be forwarded and received by the National director by February 20, 2002.