Clinton Area Students Invited to Enter 1st Annual American Legion Auxiliary Unit 56 Americanism Essay Contest

The American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 56 of Clinton, invites student writers in grades 3 through 12 to participate in the 1st Annual Americanism Essay Contest for the 2024-2025 school year. This exciting opportunity is open to all students in public, private, and homeschool settings, and encourages participation from students across the Clinton area, including Patriots, Scribblers, Storytellers, Future Warriors, First Responders, Police, Public Safety, Firefighters, and EMS families.

2025 Essay Topic

“What Does America the Beautiful Mean to Me (Regarding Veterans and Our Military)?”

This year’s topic encourages students to reflect on the meaning of America the Beautiful, focusing on how it relates to our nation’s veterans and military service members. Essays will celebrate patriotism while giving young writers a voice to share their personal perspectives.

Who Can Participate?

The Americanism Essay Contest is divided into six grade-based classes, allowing students from grades 3 through 12to compete with peers in their age group. Essays will first be judged locally, with winning entries advancing to the state, division, and even national levels of competition.

Essay Guidelines

• Essays should be typed using 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins on all sides.
• Essays must include a completed cover sheet (available online) as the first page.
• Students must also sign or print their name on the final page of their essay.
• Students should include their mailing address on the cover sheet, as national-level awards are sent directly to students.
• Essays created using AI (artificial intelligence) will be disqualified.
• Clean photocopies are acceptable. All entries become the property of The Clinton Chronicle and will not be returned.

Judging Process

Essays will be evaluated by a panel of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 56 members and professional editors and reporters from The Clinton Chronicle. To ensure fairness, all judging will be conducted through a blind evaluation process, where judges will not know the identities of the writers. Essays will be judged based on:

• Grammar and spelling
• Content and creativity
• Adherence to contest guidelines

Awards & Recognition

• Local winners will receive recognition from American Legion Auxiliary Unit 56, with select essays featured in The Clinton Chronicle’s upcoming Hometown Heroes special edition.
• Winning essays at the local level will advance to the state competition, with the potential to compete at the division and national levels.
• At the national level, divisional winners in each class will receive a $50 prize, plus a $50 honorarium donated in the student’s name to the National Presidents’ Children of Warriors Scholarship Fund.

How to Enter

Students can download the application form, cover sheet, and complete rules at:

• Facebook: ClintonPost56
• Website: www.myclintonnews.com

There is no cost to enter.

Submission Deadline

All entries must be submitted by:
🗓️ March 31, 2025, by Noon
📍 The Clinton Chronicle Office
513 Broad Street, Clinton, SC 29325

Sponsors & Contacts

• American Legion Copeland-Davidson Auxiliary Post 56
  c/o Denise Harter, Unit 56 Secretary
  📬 PO Box 1675, Clinton, SC 29325
  📞 740-797-3261
  📧 [email protected]
• The Clinton Chronicle
  c/o Victoria Steele, Office Manager
  📍 513 N. Broad St., Clinton, SC 29325
  📞 864-833-1900

This contest offers students not only a chance to showcase their writing talents but also to honor America’s veterans and service members. Students who are passionate about patriotism, storytelling, and community service are encouraged to enter and share their voice.