AC4GC Fourth Annual Essay Contest for High School Students

As AC4GC begins its quest to provide a cultural center for all the residents of Arizona, this contest is an attempt to reach out to teachers and students of German in Arizona’s schools and enhance their interest in the German language and all things Germanic, i.e., the history, culture, technology, and contributions of Germans, Austrians, Swiss, Liechtensteiner, Luxembourgian, Belgian and other speakers of German to Arizona and America.

All entries must be submitted electronically by October 5, 2011.

There will be two groupings for the contest; grades 9-10 and grades 11-12. The winners will receive prizes and certificates. The winning essays will be posted on the www.AC4GC.org website and in various German Speaking Clubs’ newsletters throughout the valley.

Entries can be submitted here.

Guidelines

Students must choose from the following topics:

  • What is the role of Germany in the European Union?
  • Why study German?

The essay must be in English and in a 5-paragraph thesis-and-support format of 500 words.

Students may submit only one essay per person.

Submit entries as .doc (Microsoft Word), .pdf (Adobe Acrobat), scanned-in graphic files (jpg. etc.). Email your entry to Jerry T. Wood (essaycontest[ at ]ac4gc.org). Entry must include the author’s name, grade level, school name and school address on a cover sheet for the essay.

Rules

  • All students enrolled in 9th through 12th grade in the U.S. are eligible.
  • Each entry must be the sole work of the author.
  • Entries must be submitted by individual writers or by their teachers.
  • Only electronically submitted essays will be accepted.
  • Entries must be 500 words or less.
  • Entries must include the name of the student and teacher/advisor, the grade level of the student, the email address of the student and teacher, and a postal address for the student and teacher. This information enables the AC4GC quickly to award prizes. The awards will be presented at the AC4GC Phoenix 2011 Oktoberfest on October 15, 2011. No personal or contact information will be handed over to a third party.

Submitted entries will become the property of the AC4GC; they may appear in various German Speaking Club newsletters and/or publications.

The decision of the panel of judges from the AC4GC, Phoenix, AZ is final.

Students are strongly encouraged to review spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Receipt of essays will be confirmed by email. Please contact us if you do not receive a confirmation within a day.

Deadline

All entries must be submitted by October 5, 2011. Winners will be notified by October 8, 2011. Awards and recognition will take place at the 6th annual Phoenix Oktoberfest on October 15, 2011.

Criteria for Judging

Winners will be determined by a panel of judges selected by board members of the AC4GC, Phoenix, AZ. Entries will be judged based on their content, style, and grammar.

Successful entries will Follow the guidelines:

  • Show that student has done research on his/her topic (MLA style sheet with in-text citations)
  • Include the author’s own opinions
  • Demonstrate superb critical and creative thinking

Prizes

First place – Grades 9 – 10: $200.00

First place – Grades 11 – 12: $200.00

For teachers or advisers of first place winners:

$50.00 Book Store Gift Certificate for classroom resources

In addition, ten runners up will receive a package from AC4GC.

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