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Local Essay Contest for 6th–8th Grade Students
Step 1: Organize a Chairperson and Committee
Select a Law Day essay contest chairperson. This person will coordinate all the activities related to your Law Day essay contest. It is also helpful to form a Law Day essay contest committee to have a group of people who will share the responsibilities for the contest.
Step 2: Select a Theme
Select an essay theme. If you want to be able to submit your essay winners
to the state contest, you will need to use the same theme that the Michigan
Lawyers Auxiliary and State Bar of Michigan are using for that year. One
advantage of using the theme for the essay contest is that the State Bar will
provide you with a number of materials that you can copy and use for your local
contest. Examples include a sample cover sheet, contest rules, and
criteria used for scoring essays.
Step 3: Determine Prizes
Determine the number of prizes you want to award for each grade level, such as 1st place, 2nd place, honorable mention, etc. You will also need to decide what kind of prizes you will award to each of your winners. Many auxiliaries and bar associations have chosen savings bonds in different denominations and certificates. You many want to solicit sponsors to help pay for the prizes. Local law firms, banks, and educational associations are often willing to sponsor such an activity.
Step 4: Determine Awards Ceremony
Determine what kind of ceremony you want to host at which the winners will be honored. An awards breakfast, luncheon, afternoon tea, or dinner are all examples of Law Day essay contest ceremonies. Some have been held in local courtrooms, local restaurants, local schools, etc. You will also have to decide when you want to hold the ceremony. Typically, these ceremonies are held very close to or on Law Day, May 1. Again, you may want to solicit sponsors to help fund the ceremony.
Step 5: Determine Contest Deadline
Decide who will receive the entries and a deadline for the receipt of entries. The deadline will be determined by how long you think it will take to judge all the entries, determine the winners, and notify the winners. Ideally, the winners will be notified a least a month before the awards ceremony. You will also need to select a deadline that will give you time to judge all your entries before the deadline for the state essay contest. Step 6: Prepare Contest Notification
Prepare a cover letter to your local school principals and 6th–8th grade teachers explaining the contest. If possible, offer support, such as guest speakers, etc. Try to keep the cover letter to one page, then attach copies of the (1) cover sheet, (2) contest rules and (3) criteria for scoring. Mail these packets to all area local schools that have 6th–8th grades. Step 7: Importance of the Cover Sheet
The cover sheet is perhaps the most important piece of information associated
with this contest! The cover sheet must be attached to each entry. It contains
the name, age, grade, address, teacher, and school of the entrant, as well
as other pertinent information. The essay itself should have no identifying
information on it!
Step 8: Recruit Judges
Recruit an adequate number of readers to judge the essays and provide them with a copy of the criteria for scoring. You should also provide them with a schedule of when they will be receiving the essays and a deadline for when the scored essays must be returned to you. Step 9: Number the Entries
When the essays come in, put a number on each cover sheet and the same number on the attached essay. Then separate the two sheets. You should retain the cover sheets and distribute groups of essays to your judges. Be sure to keep a record of the numbers that each judge receives. Each judge should also receive a sheet on which to record each essay number and each essay's score. This sheet needs to be returned along with the essays. Scoring Essays Step 10: Notify Winners
When you receive all the essays back, determine the winners and notify them of the date, time, and location of the awards ceremony. Be sure to ask for an RSVP. Also, be sure to alert the local news media to your special event.
Step 11: Send Top Three Winners
Send only if you use the State of
Michigan Law Day Essay Contest Format.
(This
cover sheet and deadline is for winners of local contests to be sent
to the State contest for consideration in the finals.) Send
your top 3 winners in each grade level to be included in the final judging
of the State contest. The deadline is February
15, 2010. Include this cover sheet for
all of the entries from your local contest.
Step 12: Notify Area Schools of Winners
Send a list of all your essay contest winners to all the area schools that participated in your contest. Step 13: Thank Your Volunteers
After you hold your event, be sure to send thank you notes to everyone you deem appropriate (i.e. judges, sponsors, etc.)
Step 14: Evaluate for Next Time
Finally, be sure to evaluate all aspects of your contest to develop strategies for improving your event the next year. Step 15: Good Luck
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