CLARKSVILLE, TN – The annual Kiwanis Club of Clarksville Interview-a-Veteran Essay Contest is now open to CMCSS students. Students in grades 6 through 12 have the opportunity to submit an essay based on an interview with a military veteran. Submissions are due by the end of September to your child’s school. The deadline for student submissions is set by each school, but school-based winners are determined by Oct. 2.
All essays will be reviewed and judged based on a rubric, first by CMCSS and then by the Kiwanis Club of Clarksville judges. All entries must be original, unpublished, and the student’s own work. Any excerpts from other sources must not be referenced. AI-generated essays are not allowed.
Awards:
- School winners will receive a plaque and $100.
- Runner-ups will receive a plaque and $150.
- Grand Division Winners will receive a plaque, $200, and a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol.
- Grand Winner, Runner-up, and Most Inspiring and Heroic winners will read a two to three-minute excerpt of their essays at the Kiwanis Awards Luncheon.
Full rules are available here for all submissions.
The prompt for both middle and high school students celebrates the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding: “What did the (Veteran’s) story teach me about the unique concept of American Freedom?”
Interested families can fill out the application form here. Be sure to include your grade and ELA or English teacher’s name on your application. Families are encouraged to work with their students to learn about the history, courage, and sacrifice of military veterans. A limited number of names of local veterans and historians are available for interviews if requested by school contacts. Requests should be sent to KiwanisEssay@aol.com. Relatives of deceased veterans or historians may be interviewed or speak to classrooms upon request.
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