Contest seeks young Native American writers

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

Attention, high school writers!

The 2008 Holland and Knight Young Native Writers Essay Contest is looking for you, and you could win an expense-paid trip to Washington — and a college scholarship for up to $5,000.

It’s a writing contest for Native American high school students, designed to inspire honest portraits of the richness of Native American life and history. The contest is designed in hopes of inspiring a sense of honor and dignity to all participants.

The deadline for entries is April 15.

The 2008 Young Native Writers Essay Contest is open to all Native American Indian and Alaska Native high school students who are enrolled members of a state or federally-recognized tribe.

Students responding to this year’s writing contest should present in an essay of no more than 1,200 words specific or general struggles and or triumphs of Native Americans in history or in today’s world, based on the student’s experiences and scholarly research; and how the writer will use his or her talents to enhance the future of his or her own Native American community.

The following prizes will be awarded to winning essayists: five first-place winners will each receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, tentatively scheduled for June 22-27,, to visit the National Museum of the American Indian, and other prominent sites. The winners will be accompanied by the teachers who inspired their entries into the contest.

First-place winners will receive a special award for display at their home or school. In addition, each first-place winner will receive a scholarship ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to be paid directly to the college or university of their choice.

Subject suggestions include, but are not limited to, Native American involvement in treaties, governments Federal and Tribal, languages, education, folklore, religion, entertainment, health, nutrition, media, sports and current events.

In preparation for writing, students should draw from their own personal knowledge and research information from a variety of sources. Primary and secondary source material could include: historical and reference material, interviews, personal experience, oral testimonies, official documents, diaries, letters, autobiographies, newspapers, academic journals, films and television movies, CD-ROM and Internet sources.

The entry deadline is April 15.

Contest rules and entry forms are online at: www.indian.hklaw.com/2008/index.asp
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John Christian Hopkins can be reached at hopkins1960@hotmail.com