1992-1993 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest

OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS NATIONWIDE

SUBJECT: What Role Does and What Role Should the Media Play
In Choosing Our Candidates For National Office?

                                                 First Prize     = $100
                                                 Second Prize = $  50
                                                 Third Prize    = $  25

The prizes will be awarded to the three top essays at every school that enters ten or more qualifying papers. Schools entering fewer than ten students, or papers that are too short or do not abide by other rules, will not be considered for prizes. Please consult the rules. Results of the questionnaire, and essay contest, will be published in a book and sent to the 535 members of congress, the press and other officials around the country.

RULES

Essay must be typed (English only) double spaced, checked for grammatical and spelling errors and be no less than 750 words nor more than 1,000 words in length. Please submit originals; light xeroxed copies are not acceptable.

This year you are going to reverse roles with the media. Instead of getting all your information from them, you will generate new information which we hope will motivate the media to take action---action which you will suggest to them in your papers.

Suggested Research:

1- Contact the Federal Election Commission 800-424-9530 or your local election board, and obtain the names of all the candidates for national office from your congressional district since 1985. (U.S. Senate and House of Representatives)

2- Ask at least ten adults, over the age of 30, what they can tell you about any of the candidates you have uncovered. Some candidates may have zero name recognition.

3- Attempt to contact the candidates and schedule interviews---phone is fine. Prepare a list of questions regarding their experiences with the media during their campaigns. Be prepared to listen to stories, but only after you obtain specific answers. So that none are overwhelmed, perhaps several former candidates can be invited to speak to an entire class. A list of candidates might be divided and the results of interviews pooled.

4- Ask media members how they decide which candidates to cover and how often?

5- Make a case regarding the 1992 election by gathering evidence from newspapers, magazines and listening to the radio and viewing TV. How many times was the incumbent mentioned v. the challenger? Be specific; document with dates and time.

Include a completed copy of the enclosed questionnaire with each essay.
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Entries will not be returned, and upon submittal become the property of The Harry Singer Foundation.

Please make copies of the application and questionnaire and distribute them to your students.

Essays, along with the application and questionnaire, must be submitted to the Harry Singer Foundation and postmarked on or before January 21, 1993.

Awards and notification of winning essays will be issued on or before April 21, 1993. We keep moving the date up to accommodate schools that need early results.

Each essay must be accompanied by an application and a questionnaire, completed and signed according to instructions.

Please send to:

Essay Contest, The Harry Singer Foundation                                                                                      BACK
P.O. Box 223159, Carmel, CA 93922