Chicago Public Schools, the American Bottling Company and Roosevelt University are jointly sponsoring the annual Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Competition. All ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders are invited to participate.
The topic for the essay competition is: What event or person in Hispanic history has most influenced or inspired you or modern society? Why?
Essays are due by Oct. 6, 2008.
Students are eligible to win an array of prizes:
- Grand prizes: Four laptop computers and printers will be awarded to the students with the top four essays.
- Second place prizes: Four digital cameras and photo printers will be awarded to the students with the four second place essays.
- Scholarships: Four $5,000 Roosevelt University scholarships will be offered. Grand prize winning schools will identify potential scholarship recipients by April 1, 2009. Recipients will need to meet university admission criteria, with preference going first to twelfth-grade essay contest winners, then to other academically qualified seniors.
Rules for the competition and an entry form are available at each high school or can be 
downloaded here. Completed essays should be submitted to the competition coordinator at each school before Oct. 6, 2008. Essays will be judged on originality and creativity, cultural knowledge and research, organizational structure and clarity, as well as spelling and grammar.
The competition winners, their families and their school principals and teachers will be invited to an awards banquet at which all winners will be recognized and receive their prizes.
Your child could be a lucky winner, so be sure to encourage him or her to participate.
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