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Hildene
Lincoln Essay Competition
Choose an important, often divisive, issue about which you have a strong
opinion. Put yourself in the shoes of someone on the other side of the issue.
Identify at least three reasons this individual would give to support her/his
position. Describe how this exercise has – or has not – affected
how you will think about and discuss divisive issues.
Dear Students, Principals, Teachers, Librarians, and Homeschool Instructors:
For the past eight years, Hildene has sponsored the Lincoln Essay Competition informed by Hildene’s mission:
Values into Action. The competition is open to all eighth graders in the state of Vermont, whether they enter as
part of a class assignment or on their own. We hope this year’s topic will inspire great discussions and thoughtful
responses. Essays will be judged on the student’s understanding of the subject, as well as her or his ability to
convey that understanding through good writing.
Winners receive certificates and cash prizes, as follows:
First Place: $1,000
Second Place: $750
Third Place: $500
Plus up to ten Honorable Mentions: $200
This means that up to thirteen students can win prizes.
In addition, each winner is invited to an awards luncheon, along with their parents, teacher and principal as our
guests. In order to receive their checks and certificates, all winners must attend the luncheon and first, second
and third place winners must read their essays. The celebration will be at Hildene on Sunday, May 17, 2015,
following a tour of The Lincoln Family Home.
Please note: The deadline for the competition is Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12, 2015. We hope this will give
you ample time to work the content into your curriculum. All winners will be notified by the end of March.
Common Core and State Standards: The Lincoln Essay Competition supports the following 8th Grade
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts in Writing: W.8.1, 8.2, & 8.4-10, and in
History/Social Studies: RH.6-8.2, 8.4, 8.6, 8.8 & 8.9, as well as the Vermont Framework of Standards and
Learning Opportunities in Civic/Social Responsibility: Continuity and Change 4.5aa.
We consider this competition to be one of the most important things we do. Not only does it reinforce the importance of research, critical analysis and good writing, but it also promotes awareness of civic responsibility using
Lincoln’s legacy as touchstone.
The following materials are enclosed: the essay topic and competition guidelines and an application form. We
have also included the assessment rubric our judges will use which you and your students might find helpful. You
may also download these from our website at www.hildene.org/schools.html where you can find examples of winning essays from previous years. Please don’t hesitate to call me if you or your students have any questions.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Moffett Hynds
Programming Director
[email protected]
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home
Post Office Box 377
Manchester, Vermont 05254
802.367.7960 www.hildene.org
Hildene
Lincoln Essay Competition
GUIDELINES
Mission:
Using Abraham Lincoln’s legacy as touchstone, the goal of Hildene’s Lincoln Essay Competition is to
promote awareness in the minds of a young generation of Americans of the responsibility each of us
has to do our part to make our community, our state, our country and even our world a better place.
Eligibility:
The competition is open to all eighth grade students who live in Vermont or go to public, private, or
home schools in the state of Vermont. Each entrant is permitted to submit one entry.
Essay Topic:
Choose an important, often divisive, issue about which you have a strong
opinion. Put yourself in the shoes of someone on the other side of the issue.
Identify at least three reasons this individual would give to support her/his
position. Describe how this exercise has – or has not – affected
how you will think about and discuss divisive issues.
Essay Requirements:
• Must not exceed 500 words - please do not include footnotes or a bibliography
• Must be written in English
• Must be typewritten
• Must be on one side of a single page
• Must not have name or any other identifier of applicant on essay or within the text of the essay
• Must submit by mail or by hand to: Attention: Lincoln Essay Competition
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home
PO Box 377
Manchester, VT 05254
• Essay must be the original work of the submitting student
• Editorial comment or guidance from the teacher or parent is permissible as long as the actual
writing is the student’s own work
Essay Submission Deadline:
Essay and application form must arrive by mail or by hand at Hildene on or before President Lincoln’s
Birthday, Thursday, February 12, 2015, by 4:30 pm (Hildene is open 9:30 am to 4:30 pm daily). Please
Note: Emailed submissions and late entries will not be accepted.
Criteria for Evaluation:
Essay will be judged on content, style, composition, factual accuracy and grammar. Please refer to
the Judge’s Assessment Rubric.
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home
Post Office Box 377
Manchester, Vermont 05254
802.367.7960 www.hildene.org
Prizes:
First Place $1,000
Second Place $750
Third Place $500
Up to ten Honorable Mentions of $200 each
Use of Submitted Entries:
Hildene reserves the right to use all submitted pieces in future publications and there will be no
compensation to the author for such use.
Announcement of Winners:
Winners will be notified by March 31, 2015. Announcements to the press will be made in early May.
In order to receive their prizes all winners, including honorable mention, must attend the awards
luncheon and first, second and third place winners must read their essays aloud. The winners, their
parents, teachers and principals will be Hildene’s guests at this special event held annually to honor
Abraham Lincoln’s legacy. The awards luncheon will be at Hildene on Sunday, May 17, 2015, following a tour of The Lincoln Family Home.
Application Form and Background Materials Attached
Application and materials are also available online at www.hildene.org/schools.html.
Contact Information:
Stephanie Moffett Hynds
Programming Director
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home
802.367.7960
[email protected]
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home was the summer residence of Robert Lincoln and his wife Mary.
Mr. Lincoln was the only child of President and Mary Todd Lincoln to survive to adulthood. Between
1905, when they moved in, and the death of their granddaughter Mary Lincoln Beckwith in 1975, more
Lincolns (three successive generations) lived at Hildene than at any other place in the United States.
Hildene’s mission, Values into Action, is about making a difference. No matter how people interact
with Hildene, our goal is for them to leave thinking about the world in a deeper way. The core values
attendant to Hildene’s mission are integrity, perseverance, and civic responsibility, all of which are
manifest in venues and programming across our 412 acres and beyond.
We believe people are hungry for meaningful involvement with their community, their state, their country and the world. Hildene works to inspire them to act.
Hildene
Lincoln Essay Competition
APPLICATION FORM
Applicant’s Name: __________________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: ______________________________Current Grade: ___________________________
Home Telephone Number: ____________________ Email Address: ________________________
Home Mailing Address: Street: ________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________State: ____________________Zip: __________________
Name of School: ___________________________________________________________________
School Telephone Number: ___________________________________________________________
School Mailing Address: Street: _______________________________________________________
City: ______________________________State: ____________________Zip: __________________
Teacher’s Name: _____________________________ Email Address: ________________________
Principal’s Name: _____________________________ Email Address: ________________________
Essay Question:
LLii
Choose an important, often divisive, issue about which you have a strong
opinion. Put yourself in the shoes of someone on the other side of the issue.
Identify at least three reasons this individual would give to support her/his
position. Describe how this exercise has – or has not – affected
how you will think about and discuss divisive issues.
By signing below, I certify that I live or go to school in Vermont and that the submitted essay is my own work.
I authorize Hildene to use my work in all future related events and publications without compensation and I
understand that if I am a winner I must attend the luncheon and if my essay is chosen for first, second, or third
place, read it aloud to receive my prize.
Signature: ____________________________________________________ Date: _______________
Print your name: ___________________________________________________________________
Parent’s Signature: _____________________________________________ Date: _______________
Print your name: ___________________________________________________________________
Submission Deadline: Thursday, February 12, 2015. Essay must arrive at Hildene before 4:30 pm.
Please note: Emailed submissions and late entries will not be accepted.
How did you hear about Hildene’s Lincoln Essay Competition?
___ Parents
___ Newspaper ___ Teacher (Teacher’s Name) __________________________________
___ Librarian/Library: ___________________________ Other: __________________________________
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home
Post Office Box 377
Manchester, Vermont 05254
802.367.7960 www.hildene.org
Hildene
Lincoln Essay Competition
THE ASSIGNMENT
Choose an important, often divisive, issue about which you have a strong
opinion. Put yourself in the shoes of someone on the other side of the issue.
Identify at least three reasons this individual would give to support her/his
position. Describe how this exercise has – or has not – affected
how you will think about and discuss divisive issues.
One of the skill sets that made Abraham Lincoln so effective at getting people to consider his position
was his ability to put himself in their shoes and look at the issue from their perspective. For instance,
rather than preach a virulent anti-slavery position, he acknowledged that if he lived in the South he
might well see the issue as Southerners did. He then acknowledged the difficulty of change from their
perspective. With that acknowledgement first given, many would then at least listen to what he had to
say.
“Before proceeding, let me say I think I have no prejudice against the Southern people. They are just
what we would be in their situation. If slavery did not now exist amongst them, they would not introduce it. If it did now exist amongst us, we should not instantly give it up. This I believe of the masses
north and south. Doubtless there are individuals, on both sides, who would not hold slaves under any
circumstances; and others who would gladly introduce slavery anew, if it were out of existence. We
know that some southern men do free their slaves, go north, and become tip-top abolitionists; while
some northern ones go south, and become most cruel slave-masters.”
- Peoria Speech, 1854
To understand Abraham Lincoln is to appreciate the life-long journey of a person who chose over and
over again to face challenges rather than to ignore them, acting on a core sense of his civic responsibility to make his country and the world a better, more humane place. He exemplifies Hildene’s mission: Values into Action.
Your job: Research, think, and compose.
TIPS ON WRITING A WINNING ESSAY
Allow enough time to write several drafts. Re-writing is the essence of good writing. Use the attached
rubric to assess and strengthen your essay. Be sure to fully answer the question by supporting your
position with relevant examples, facts and logic.
Don’t form your conclusion based on preconceived assumptions and prejudices. Take the time to really look into other perspectives.
Set deadlines for research, submitted notes, drafts and feedback from parents or teachers.
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home
Post Office Box 377
Manchester, Vermont 05254
802.367.7960 www.hildene.org
The Hildene essay prompt is different every year and it provides a different focus, as well as an opportunity for schools to invite a guest speaker, view online podcasts or video, read other materials and
so forth. Brainstorm with other students places where you can locate reliable and relevant information
including print, online resources, primary sources, experts to interview and so on.
Review the essay prompt. Teachers can help you to understand exactly what is being asked by analyzing the prompt and by providing opportunities to ask questions. Refer back to the prompt throughout the writing process to make sure that your essay addresses all aspects of the assignment.
Seek ongoing and specific feedback from your language arts teacher, history teacher, reading specialist, parent, school librarian or other knowledgeable persons for improving your grammar, punctuation, historical accuracy, thinking process and syntax. Review the judges’ rubric to make sure you
meet the submission criteria.
Read your essay aloud to see if it flows logically and to hear if there are any awkward or incomplete
sentences.
Mail your essay to Hildene at least a week before the deadline to ensure it arrives on time.
Lincoln Essay Competition - Judges Assessment Rubric
Hildene
Essay # _______