See your English teacher or Mrs. Van Zee for more details
In preparation for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, the DAR is launching the "Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay ContestExternal Links icon”!
This contest will focus on the men and women, both famous and unknown, who figured in the events of the American Revolution (1773 – 1783). Students will be asked to discuss how their chosen Patriot contributed to the founding of the nation. These Patriots may be one of our famous Founders, or an everyday man, woman, or child who supported the American Revolution in ways both large or small. We hope that this wide topic area will allow students to choose individuals who capture their imagination and interest.
Students will be encouraged to use primary sources (that is, immediate, first-hand accounts such as letters, diaries, speeches, and newspaper reports) for their research, and judges will be asked to take the quality and scope of references into account when judging the essays. While many primary references are online, at, for example, the National Archives’ Founders Online projectExternal Links icon or the Library of Congress’ American Revolution Digital CollectionExternal Links icon, DAR chapters are also encouraged to reach out to students to help them explore the many primary sources available in their area at local historical societies, local libraries, and even in chapters’ own records and collections.
The essay contest is open to students in grades 9 through 12 in public, private and parochial schools, and to those who are home schooled. All grades will be judged together, with one national winner chosen. Chapters may award each essay writer a Patriots of the American Revolution Essay Participation Certificate, available for purchase through the DAR StoreExternal Links icon. Chapters will select one essay as the chapter winner, for whom the chapter may purchase a certificate/bronze medal set available for sale through the DAR StoreExternal Links icon. States will also select one essay winner to represent the state for judging at the Division level, and a state level winner certificate/silver medal set (also available for sale through the DAR Store)External Links icon will be presented to the state winners. Each Division level will also have one winner, who will receive a certificate and a book.
The National Society will select first-, second- and third-place winners. The national winner will receive a National Winner Certificate, pin and monetary award, presented at Continental Congress. The winning essay may appear in official DAR communications. (National second-and third-place winners will also receive a certificate and monetary award.) Additional information is available by visiting the American History Committee section of the DAR Members WebsiteExternal Links icon.
This essay contest is a wonderful opportunity to engage students during the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. It complements the American History essay contestExternal Links icon, which is for students in the 5th to 9th grades. It has also replaced the Christopher Columbus Essay Contest: the DAR administered that high school essay contest in partnership with the National Christopher Columbus Association for 25 years, but has decided to focus on our core mission of promoting the history and ideas of the American Revolution. This essay contest will encourage students to think more about the many different people, known and unknown, who were a part of the American Revolution, and perhaps even see themselves in the figures they write about.
