2010 National High School Essay Contest on the United Nations
by JoAnn Aviel
UNA-SF will be participating in the 2010 national high school essay contest on the United Nations. We would appreciate every member informing any high school student, teacher, or administrator they know about this opportunity to learn more about the United Nations and earn valuable prizes. Please make announcements about this contest in any appropriate meetings you attend or through e-mail listings or internet accounts.
Since 1986, the National High School Essay Contest on the United Nations has inspired students to engage global issues and the work of the UN through scholarship and critical thinking. Each year, The United Nations Association of the USA publishes a topic and
question of particular importance to the international community. Students then conduct
research and write a response to the question, based not only on the information they
have found, but also on their own views and opinion. It is vital to engage high school
students in learning about the UN's role, especially as it becomes ever more apparent
that all people must think of themselves as citizens not only of a particular town or
country, but of the world as well.
This year's National High School Essay Contest on the United Nations focuses on
Millennium Development Goal Eight, and asks students to tackle the challenge of promoting development through international partnership. Students will write a letter to the President of the
United States answering the following questions:
1. How can the U.S. build an international system that promotes good governance, development, and poverty reduction?
2. How can the United States promote sustainable development and economic growth in developing countries?
Students must submit their essays electronically by midnight January 5, 2010. Essays must be no longer than 1,500 words, typed and double spaced. The UNA-USA National High School Essay Contest is open to all U.S. students in grades 9 - 12. One first place winner will receive an honorarium of $1,500, as well as airfare and accommodations for him/herself and one parent or guardian to attend UNA-USA’s Member’s Day, held at the United Nations Headquarters in March 2010, as an honored guest. There, the winner will receive his or her award in a formal ceremony before UNAUSA’s members. One second place winner will receive an honorarium in the amount of $1,000. One third place winner will receive an honorarium in the amount of $500. Each winner’s essay will be sent to President Obama through appropriate UNA-USA channels.
Our local chapter will provide judges to select semi-finalists from this area. The names of semi-finalists from our area need to be forwarded to UNA-USA headquarters for review and selection of finalists by January 30, 2009. Qualified judges of the UNA-USA staff will evaluate the submissions of the Semi-Finalists using the National Judging Criteria. From these
evaluations, the first, second and third place national winners will be selected on or
about February 27, 2010. UNA-SF will honor the semifinalists from our area at our annual meeting.
For
more information on the high school essay contest, you can go the UNAUSA
website at .
If you have any questions, please contact JoAnn Aviel at javiel@sfsu.edu.