Senator Savino Announces Essay Writing Contest to Honor Juneteenth

For Immediate release May 4, 2011

For further information please contact Michael Arvanites at 917-816-1123

Savino Offers $500 scholarship to Juneteenth Essay Contest Winner

St George- State Senator Diane J. Savino (D-I-WF Staten Island) will bring Juneteenth, a celebration of African American freedom, to Staten Island for the first time as an elected official sponsored event. Juneteenth is a celebration commemorating the day many slaves first heard the emancipation proclamation for the first time and realized their freedom. June nineteenth of 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas were read the emancipation proclamation and word spread rather quickly plantation to plantation that they were no longer slaves, but free men and women.

Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. A time marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing.

The essay award will be presented amid a Juneteenth festival at the new Carter Community Center at 230 Broad Street 7-9 pm on Friday, June 17th. Essays must be less than 500 words and have the name address and contact information of the author. Entries are due in State Senator Diane j. Savino’s office located at 36 Richmond Terrace suite 112 by June 10, 2011. Entries can also be emailed to savinoevents@gmail.com.

2011 State Senator Diane J. Savino Juneteenth Essay Contest Rules and Guidelines

Official Topic: "What emancipation means to you and your community."

Sponsored by: State Senator Diane J. Savino

Section I - General Rules the 2011 Juneteenth Essay Contest

Contestants must compose an original written essay with limited guidance from adults, teachers. State Senator Diane J. Savino’s will have the right to publish or otherwise duplicate any essay entered in the contest, along with the author's name, without payment to the author. All entries should be received at the office of State Senator Diane J. Savino by June 10, 2011 at 5PM EST.

Section II - Qualifications for Contestants

1. The contest is open to high school students in grade 12 in the 2010-2011 school year. Contestants must meet all requirements to compete.

2. Contestants are eligible for only one written essay entry during any given year.

Section III - Written Essay Contest Rules

1. Each entry must begin with a title page containing: official topic, " What emancipation means to you and your community." writer's name, address with city, state and zip code, phone number, date of birth, school name and grade.

2. Essays may be typed, double-spaced.

3. Essays must contain less than 500 words. Every word of the essay is counted. This does not include the bibliography, footnotes identifying non-original material or title and author information.

4. Any quotation or copyrighted materials used in the essay must be properly identified using a bibliography and footnotes or proper citation.

5. Essay should be preferably written in English.

6. All essays must be accompanied by an entry form. If emailed, it must be in Word or PDF format. Please send by either mail or email - not both.

State Senator Diane j. Savino

Juneteenth Essay Contest

36 Richmond Terrace Suite 112

Staten Island, NY 10301

Or emailed to savinoevents@gmail.com

The Essay Contest Chair will decide all protests in conformity with the contest rules. The decision of the contest Chair is final and no higher appeals will be recognized. Failure to adhere to the rules may result in disqualification at the discretion of the Sponsor.

Section IV - Judging and Timing

Judging will be completed by a panel of qualified judges made up of representatives from the sponsoring organizations and experts from the agriculture industry. In an effort to conceal the identity of each contestant, each entry will be assigned a number by the essay contest Chair. The assigned number will be placed on the title page and first page of the essay before the title page is removed. Judges will not discuss or compare essays being judged.

Only judges can assign a penalty or award a point.

Section V – Awards Essay Winner - $500, Essay will be published in the Staten Island Advance, essay winner will receive an award at the Juneteenth Celebration to take place June 17, 2011 at 7PM at the Gerald Carter Center Community Center 230 Broad Street, Staten Island, NY 10304. Winner must be able to attend award ceremony.

Winner of the essay contest will be contacted on June 13, 2011 via phone.