Press Releases

2007 NATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST UNDERWAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 15, 2006

Contact: Nancy Coggins, APR
405.235.3313 or 405.760.9053
nc@oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org

OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL ESSAY CONTEST TO FEATURE QUOTES FROM LINCOLN
Four first place winners win trip to Washington D.C. to see Lincoln Memorial

OKLAHOMA CITY — In 1860, Abraham Lincoln said, "Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it." Those words reflect the character and philosophy of a president tasked with keeping this country together as it pulled itself apart. The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum will use the words of Lincoln as a catalyst for its annual National Essay Contest.

Initiated in 2001, the Essay Contest has become a cornerstone of the Memorial’s educational programs. In 2005, the Essay Contest expanded from a state contest to a national one, allowing more students to use this contest as a vehicle for sharing their rich perspective and engaging in the lessons of the Memorial.

Offered in conjunction with Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War, a special exhibit created by the National Constitution Center opening at the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum on February 12, 2007, this year’s contest highlights Lincoln’s words on the importance of personal responsibility.

"Lincoln, as President, was faced with a challenge that could have torn the country apart. He was an incredible orator and his words are still timely and inspirational," said Lynne Roller, Oklahoma City National Memorial Deputy Director. "This contest shows on an annual basis that students do understand the inspiration in quotes from great leaders, and that they relate those words to situations in their own lives in a way that inspires us all."

The contest is open to students in grades 5-12. More than 300 essays were submitted in 2006, with winning essays coming from students in Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas, all of whom eloquently expressed themselves on a theme of hope.

Essays are judged on originality, adherence to topic and proper grammar, spelling and punctuation by educators and community leaders from across the region. Students are given a quote and accompanying topic on which to write, developed by the Memorial’s Education and Outreach Committee. Each topic is designed to challenge students to reflect on their personal experiences and look to the future for ways they can make an impact on the world around them.

2007 Topics:
Fifth and Sixth Grades (350 words): "I want in all cases to do right." – Abraham Lincoln
Seventh and Eighth Grades (350 words): "Stand with anybody that stands RIGHT. Stand with him while he is right and PART with him when he goes wrong." – Abraham Lincoln

Ninth and Tenth Grades (500 words): "Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." – Abraham Lincoln

Eleventh and Twelfth Grades (500 words): "The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just; it shall not deter me." – Abraham Lincoln

First place winners in each category will receive a weekend trip to Washington, DC, to tour the Lincoln Memorial and attend the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets vs. Washington Wizards basketball game. All winners will be recognized at the Hornets/Seattle Supersonics game on April 4, 2007, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City.

Entries must be typed or word – processed, double-spaced. Teachers may submit up to five entries per grade per school. Entries may be submitted by mail, email or hand delivered to the Memorial. Information on submission of entries, as well as a release form that must accompany each entry, is available on the Memorial’s web site at www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org. All entries must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 1, 2007. For more information on the Essay Contest or other educational offerings of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, please contact Lynne Roller, Deputy Director, at 405.235.3313 or lr@oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum was created to honor "those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever" by the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The Memorial and Museum are dedicated to educating visitors about the impact of violence, informing about events surrounding the bombing, and inspiring hope and healing through lessons learned by those affected.

For more information on the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, call (888) 542-HOPE or visit www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org.

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