Cupertino Rotary Supports Upcoming Middle School Student Essay

Cupertino, Calif. – January 25, 2021 – Cupertino Rotary (www.cupertinorotary.org) announced support and donation to the upcoming Middle School Students’ Essay Contest hosted by the City of Cupertino. The contest winners will be announced in early March and will be invited and introduced at the City’s Council meeting .

The Essay Contest is open to all middle school students who reside in Cupertino with a Cupertino, CA 95014 address.

“Through our Youth Services Committee, Cupertino Rotary is always finding ways to support youth projects in the community, said John Hirokawa, Cupertino Rotary’s Youth Services Chair.

“The City of Cupertino’s goals with the essay contest is to introude youth to the civic engagement process, provide teens with a voice, and shed light on what’s important to local youth and teens.”

ESSAY CONTEST DETAILS

The City of Cupertino is inviting all 7th and 8th grade Cupertino residents to participate in the City’s inaugural “Drafting Cupertino’s Future” essay contest. Participants will write to City officials and desribe what change they would make in Cupertino. Youth civic engagement is crucial to building a new tomorrow, and this essay contest provides students the opportunity to reflect on the role of the elected officials in and the staff who work diligently to serve their community.

Prompt:

What would you do if you could improve or change life in Cupertino? The essay prompt is both simple and complex. Many ideas are good, but how feasible are they? The City encourages resident middle school students to not only think creatively but also make a strong case for their proposed ideas. For example, if your idea is to build a new park, how will you pay for it? Where will you put the park? How will your community and neighbors feel about these changes? These are only a couple of questions City staff, Council Members, and Commissioners must consider when implementing changes.

Contest Rules and Details:

Failure to adhere to these rules are subject to disqualification. Please note that the rules are subject to change at any time.

• This contest is open to any 7th and 8th grade Cupertino residents. Your home or resident address must be within the 95014-area code.
• Only one essay may be submitted per student.
• Essay must be accompanied by an official entry form.
• Essay must be original, unpublished, and written by the student.
• Each submission must include the following information on BOTH your essay and entry form: (1) student name, (2) grade, (3) resident address, (4) teacher name, and (5) school.
  • Homeschool Students – please include the name of your parents
• Essay must explain what you want to do, why you want to do it, and how you are going to complete it. If you are proposing a new idea or a new project, you should include where the money will come from to pay for it. We suggest limiting your actions to one or two ideas to fully develop them and provide your justification.
• Essay are encouraged to be between 350 and 500 words.
• All submissions must be submitted to teenapplications@cupertino.org by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10. No exceptions.
• Judges and City staff have final decisions on all winners and reserve the right to modify rules and decisions.
• Ready to turn it in? Follow our step-by-step Checklist:
  • Prepare your essay, which includes the following:
    • Student Name
    • Resident Address
    • Teacher Name
    • School
    • Grade
  • Essays may be submitted in Word or PDF format.
  • Completed Entry Form.
  • Send your essay and entry form to teenapplications@cupertino.org as an attachment.

Judging and Prizes

• Essays will be judged on the What, Why, and, How. Creativity, reasoning, evidence, and proper use of grammar will be evaluated.
• Two winning essays will be selected and awarded. Our winner will receive $150 and our runner up will receive $75 as a cash prize.
• The first-place winner and runner up will be invited to attend and be formally recognized by our City Council at a future City Council meeting.
• Winners may also be highlighted on the City’s social media pages, website, and in the Cupertino Scene.

ABOUT THE ROTARY CLUB OF CUPERTINO

Chartered in 1955, the Rotary Club of Cupertino represents a broad cross section of local residents, businesses, and professions. Members of the club are involved in a wide array of leadership and volunteer activities. Together, we make a difference in both our local community and in communities around the world.

The club meets every Wednesday at Noon for lunch program and a guest speaker at Quinlan Community Center in Cupertino. To learn more, visit our website at www.cupertinorotary.org

To learn more about these projects, visit Cupertino Rotary’s website at www.cupertinorotary.org

ABOUT THE CITY OF CUPERTINO

Cupertino, California, is on the western edge of Silicon Valley against the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. With a population of 64,000 people within 13 square miles, Cupertino is 42 miles south of San Francisco and is home to high-tech companies, most notably Apple Inc. (taken from: https://www.cupertino.org/our-city/about-cupertino)

###