Livermore Middle School Students Sweep Awards In Essay Contest

From LVJUSD: East Avenue Middle School (EAMS) students claimed first prize in each of its grade levels for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) American History Essay Contest. The contest was open to all students in grades 5 - 8. The Josefa Higuera Livermore Chapter selected one winner from each grade, and EAMS students took the prize for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. The winners from EAMS were 6th grader, Kaylee Olson; 7th grader, Emily Buttler; and 8th grader, Simone Laney. “Our core teachers at East Avenue work very hard and encourage all students to participate in the essay competition,” said EAMS Principal Mistee Guzman. “We are beyond excited to have these wonderful young ladies represent East Avenue and Livermore.”

To encourage students to engage with history in a dynamic way, the DAR established the contest in which students compete with a written essay that explores a time in American history. This year, in light of the 100th anniversary of World War I, students were asked to imagine they were living in 1918 and coming to terms with how the end of the war would impact their lives and introduce a new age in America. The essay asked for pros and cons to the changes the Great War introduced to everyday society and how those changes might affect the country in the coming years. The essays for grades 6 -8 ranged from 600 - 1,000 words.

The winning essays were selected by three judges based on historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness. The sum of the points awarded by each judge for these criteria produced the final score. The winning essays from each chapter will advance to the next stages of the competition, which culminates in a national winner to be recognized at the 2018 DAR Continental Congress in Washington D.C.

The Josefa Higuera Livermore Chapter awards its essay winners with a certificate, bronze medal, and $100 monetary award. The chapter also recognizes each student’s teacher with a $50 monetary gift. Said American History Essay Contest Chairman Pat Moore, “We believe that teachers should be commended for encouraging their students to enter this contest, to think creatively about our nation’s history, and to learn about history in a new light.”

Photo courtesy of LVJUSD (Winners of DAR American History Essay Contest; from left: Emily Buttler, Kaylee Olson, Simone Laney )