The League of Women Voters of RI and the RI Secretary of State invite all Rhode Island 7th and 8th grade students to participate in a state-wide essay contest inspired by the passage of the 19th amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
Essays may address topics such as: why voting matters; present-day barriers to voting; reasons for low voter turnout; or advocacy more broadly. State-wide winner(s) will receive a cash prize and will be invited to read their essays aloud during an event at the Rhode Island State House.

GUIDELINES

Any RI student in 7th-8th grade (or equivalent) may participate.
Submission is a 300-500 word essay.
Essays must be typed, double spaced, and in 12-point font.
Submissions are due March 31, 2020
State-wide winner(s) will receive cash prizes and be invited to read their essays aloud during an event at the RI State House.
Classroom winners: Authors of the top three essays in each classroom will receive a citation from Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea.
Teachers, if you plan to have your class participate in this contest, please email CivicsandEd [at] sos.ri.gov and let us know.