Nebraska School Choice Week Essay Contest 2017

​School choice allows for public education funds to follow students to the schools or education resources that best fit their individual needs, and there are lots of different options: public school, private school, home school, charter school, or any other learning environment that parents choose for their children.
 
The organizers of Nebraska School Choice Week invite students in Lincoln who are currently in grades 4 through 8 to consider why their school is the best choice for them and to enter the 2017 Nebraska School Choice Week Essay Contest.
 
Topic
Using your own educational experiences, discuss why your school is the best choice for you. Consider your own strengths, challenges, and personal situation, and think about why your school suits you. Also, think about why it’s important for all students to have the ability to choose their school.
 
Guidelines
Students may submit 1 essay on the topic above.
Word limit: 500
Students should use at least two cited sources from newspapers, magazines, the Internet, personal interviews, or books. Citations and the bibliography are not included in the word count.
 
Eligibility
The essay contest is open to students in Lincoln, Nebraska, who are currently in grades 4 through 8, attending public, private, parochial, online, home schools, or any other school choice option.
 
Submission
Send your essay contest entry as a Microsoft Word attachment to an email: schoolchoicelincoln@gmail.com. Entries must be submitted via email by midnight on January 20, 2017.
 
Judging Criteria
Essays will be disqualified if they do not address the topic, if they’re received after the deadline, or if they’re not the student’s original work.
Essays will also be judged on the following criteria:
·         Originality of thought
·         Writing style
·         Clarity
 
Prizes
Winners of the Nebraska School Choice Week Essay Contest will be invited to a luncheon at the Nebraska Governor's Residence on January 26, 2017, where they will receive a certificate.