DAR announces 2008-2009 essay themes

Special to the White River Valley News

FAYETTEVILLE – The Marion Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution sponsors two essay contests on a yearly basis for students in our local schools. Both contests require a combination of reading and writing skills. Students must research a topic, organize pertinent facts and write an original essay. They must follow contest rules concerning the information required on the title page and demonstrate knowledge of capitalization, punctuation, grammar and spelling. One of the most difficult skills for young writers is the ability to organize a bibliography using the correct formats for books and Internet websites. The Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest for 2008-2009 is entitled “What message did the Gettysburg Address communicate to our wartorn nation in 1863? How are the ideals articulated in the speech still relevant for our country today?” This contest is open to students in grades 5 through 8. The Christopher Columbus Essay Contest is “Discuss five perils faced by Christopher Columb - Thursday, October 9, 2008