Wood County Bar Association

There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest 2010

 

Overview

The Wood County Bar Association is sponsoring a Law Day project.  Focusing on how laws are developed, the project asks students (grades 7–12) to write about what they believe Òought to be a law.Ó

 

The essays will be judged by local members of the Bar and the winners will be divided as follows:  Junior High Division (7^th and 8^th grades) and High School Division (9^th-12^th grade).

 

What is Law Day?

Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, Law Day celebrates the American heritage of liberty, justice and equality under the law.  Every year, Law Day provides legal professionals and others with opportunities to help students and the public understand how the law protects our freedoms. 

 

Contest Objectives and Guidelines

The goal of the There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest is to help students develop the skills, attitudes, and values they need to become responsible and influential citizens.  Thinking through and writing about the process of developing a law is a tangible way for students to participate in the annual Law Day celebration.  The contest is open to Wood County, Ohio students in grades 7 through 12 during the 2009-2010 academic year.

 

Each student participant must write an essay of 1,000 words or less proposing a new rule or law to be enacted at the school, community, county, state, or national level.  Each essayist is asked to adhere to the following guidelines:

 

1. Propose a new law that, to the studentÕs knowledge, is not currently in effect.
2. Use for topic ideas, but do not copy, any proposed or pending legislation.  Information about past, current and pending legislation is available at http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/ for the state of Ohio and http://thomas.loc.gov/ for the federal government.
1. Do not use topics covered by place winners in the previous contests.
3. Explain fully the proposed law by:
1. clarifying what the law would do or change;
2. exploring the benefits and consequences of the proposed law;
3. anticipating the proposed lawÕs impact on existing rules or laws as well as the lawÕs impact on those who would be affected;
4. explaining why the law needs to be created and who will enforce the law;
5. telling where the law would be effective.
4. Submit a typewritten essay in a 12-point font and include:
1. the studentÕs name, address, phone number and grade level;
2. the studentÕs county of residence;
3. completed parental release form (if student is under 18);
4. school name, address, phone number, and educatorÕs name (if applicable);
5. documentation of all research on the enclosed Works Cited page or an attached sheet (if applicable).

 

Selection criteria

All entries will be judged according to the criteria described in the ÒContest Objectives and GuidelinesÓ and the ÒEssay Contest Judging CriteriaÓ rubric.

 

Prizes*

Division                                        1st Place       2nd Place     3rd Place

High School                                   $300                 $150           $75

Junior High                                   $150                 $100           $50

 

* Awards are in U.S. Savings Bonds.  Winnings essays may be posted.

 

Contest Entering Process

The contest is open to all Wood County, Ohio students in grades 7–12, whether or not their schools participate in the contest. 

 

Essays from participating schools:

1. Students from participating schools will submit essays to a school official (teacher, administrator, etc.).

 

Essays from students whose schools are not participating or who are home-schooled:

1. Students whose schools are not participating or who are not affiliated with a school may send entries directly to the Wood County Bar Association for consideration.
1. A student in this category must indicate in the appropriate space provided on the entry form that his or her school is not participating or that he or she is not affiliated with a school.
2. A student who is affiliated with a non-participating school must provide the schoolÕs name, address, and telephone number. 

 

Mail, fax, or e-mail your entries to:

There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest

c/o Emily C. Samlow, Esq.

CPC2

1 Courthouse Square

Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Fax:  (419) 354-9223              E-mail:  esamlow@co.wood.oh.us

 

Restrictions

The Wood County Bar AssociationÕs There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.

 

Deadline

Essays must be mailed or faxed to the WCBA and postmarked by April 16, 2010.  The WCBA bears no responsibility for loss or damage to entries.  All entries submitted to the WCBA become the property of the WCBA.

 

Questions

Contact Emily C. Samlow, (419) 354-9339 or esamlow@co.wood.oh.us.

 

Note:  This entry form may be copied and distributed. Also, all other essay contest materials may be copied and distributed for educational purposes.

Entry Form
There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest

 

The entry and release forms must be fully completed and submitted for an entry to be considered.

 

Deadline:  April 16, 2010

 

Name: ______________________________________________________Grade: ____________

Home address: ______________________________ Home phone: _______________________

City:                                                                   State: ______ Zip:                                                  

County:                                                 e-mail (if applicable):                                                           

 

Please check any boxes that apply:

[   ] I am entering the contest as a representative of my participating school.

[   ] I am entering the contest as an individual because my school is not participating.

[   ] I am entering the contest as an individual because I am not affiliated with a public or

       private school. 

Note:  School information is not required for home-schooled students.

 

 

School:                                                                                                                                                    

School phone:                                                   email (if applicable):                                                            

Teacher: __________________________________ Principal:                                                        

School address:                                                                                                                                    

City: ___________________________________ State: ______ Zip:                                             

School district superintendent: _________________________ District phone:                              

 

[   ] Junior High division [   ] High School division

Entry Form
There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest

(continued)

 

I state as follows:

1.     I have read, understand, complied with and accept the terms of the contest objectives and guidelines for the Law Day There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest (hereinafter the ÒCompetitionÓ).

2.     I warrant and represent that I personally wrote the essay I submitted to the Competition.  I further warrant and represent that the essay I submitted has not been published before its submission to this Competition, and that any reference material I have used has been properly cited and not plagiarized.

3.     I am a student, age 10 to 18, who has not graduated from high school, and I am a citizen and/or resident of the United States.  I am not an employee of the Wood County Bar Association (hereinafter ÒWCBAÓ) or its affiliates or an immediate family member or member of the household of an employee of the WCBA or its affiliates.

4.     I hereby release, discharge and hold harmless the WCBA and its successors, assigns, officers, employees and agents associated with the Competition from and against any and all liability, loss, damage, expense, claims, settlements or judgments of any kind whatsoever, including attorneysÕ fees, whether in contract or in tort, arising directly or indirectly as a result of my participation in the Competition, and my acceptance and use of a prize awarded to me, if any.

5.     I consent to the use of my name, biographical data, pictures, portraits, photographs, voice or likeness, and the essay entered by me in the Competition in any form for editorial, advertising, promotional and trade purposes in connection with the promotion by the WCBA of this Competition and succeeding Law Day programs sponsored by the WCBA.  I release the Wood County Bar Association from all liabilities arising out of distortion, optical illusions or faulty mechanical reproductions of my likeness.  I acknowledge that I have no right to approve the advertising or promotional materials that include my likeness or the essay submitted by me to the Competition.

6.     The Parent or Guardian Release Form has been signed by my parent or legal guardian (if applicable), stating that my parent or legal guardian has read and also accepts the same legal obligations outlined above.

7.     I am 18 years of age, or if I am not 18 years of age, I have obtained the signature of my parent or legal guardian as described below.

 

EntrantÕs signature: _________________________________________ Date: _______________

 

Phone number: _____________________________________________

 

ParentÕs or legal guardianÕs name (if entrant is under 18):________________________________

Parent or Guardian Release Form

(To be completed by parent or guardian of entrant – for applicants under age 18.)

 

 

I, ______________________________________________, hereby represent and warrant that I am the parent or legal guardian of the identified entrant and that I accept the same legal obligations stated on the front in connection with this Competition, including but not limited to, the use of the minorÕs name, likeness and essay as stated on the front, and consent to the minor named herein accepting and receiving a prize, if any.  I also hereby release, discharge and hold harmless the Wood County Bar Association (WCBA) successors, assigns, officers, employees and agents associated with the Competition from and against any and all liability, loss, damage, expense, claims, settlements or judgments of any kind whatsoever, including attorneysÕ fees, whether in contract or in tort, which I or my heirs, executors or administrators may have arising directly or indirectly as a result of the minorÕs participation in the Competition and acceptance and receipt of a prize, if any.

 

Name:                                                                                                                                                

 

Street address:                                                                                                                                    

 

City: ____________________________ State: ____ Zip: ____________ County:                       

 

Phone number: _________________________________   

 

Signature:                                                                                             Date:                         

Essay Contest Judging Criteria
Category	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor
Explanation of the Proposed Law	Clear, logical and well-focused. Many details or examples.	Clear, logical and focused with details or examples.	Somewhat lacking in clarity, logic or focus. Some details or examples.	Little clarity, logic or focus.  Few details or examples.
Benefits and Consequences of the Law	Benefits and consequences clearly stated. Numerous examples.	Benefits and consequences stated, but few or no examples.	Benefits or consequences provided, but not both. Few or no examples.	No mention of benefits or consequences.
Impact of the Law	Clear statement of impact on existing laws, rules and/or people. Many examples.	Impact on existing laws, rules and/or people included.  Some examples.	Only passing mention of impact on existing laws, rules and/or people. Few or no examples.	No mention of impact on existing laws, rules or people.
Enforcement and Jurisdiction	Specifies in detail who will enforce the law and on what level it will be effective (e.g., school, local, state, federal level).	Specifies who will enforce the proposed law and where it will be effective. Few details.	Mentions who will enforce the law or where it will be effective, but not both.  No details.	No mention of who will enforce the law or where it will be effective.
Creativity	Very original topic/law.  Creative presentation.	Topic/law is unique or original in some way.  Fairly creative presentation.	Fairly original topic/law or fairly creative presentation, but not both.	Little or no apparent attempt to be original or creative.
Organization	Very well organized; clear introduction, discussion and conclusion. Many supporting details.	Organized; includes introduction, discussion and conclusion.  Some details.	Essay lacks one element (introduction, discussion or conclusion). Few details.	No clear introduction, discussion or conclusion. Few or no details.
Mechanics	Few or no grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization errors. Word choice appropriate and varied.	Two to four errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization. Word choice appropriate.	Five or six errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization. Word choice somewhat limited.	More than six errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization. Word choice limited or inappropriate.
Form (see Contest Objectives and Guidelines).	All presentation guidelines followed.	Most presentation guidelines followed.	Some presentation guidelines followed.	Little attempt made to follow presentation guidelines.