The theme national for Black History Month 2022 is “Black Health and Wellness.” The theme encourages emphasizing and exploring the importance of access to quality and affordable healthcare. This year’s Writing Contest is meant to spread a message of education and encouragement, designed to stimulate discussion and bridge cultures in furtherance of the national theme.

Forms of submission:

·         Essay

·         Poem

 Disclaimer:

All submissions will become property of the Black History Month committee and will not be returned. All submissions will be held in accordance with the record retention schedule for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Eligibility:

The contest is open to current high school students in grades 9-12 who reside in and attend school in Pennsylvania.

Essay Rules:

The essay must have three parts: 1) Title page, 2) Essay pages, and 3) Bibliography/works cited. The essay must be listed on a separate page and not reference the applicant’s name or information.

1.) Title Page contents:

·         Essay title

·         Applicant’s name, grade, address, phone number & email

·         Applicant’s high school’s name, address & phone number

2.) Essay contents:

·         Minimum of 150 and a maximum of 300 words (excluding title page, footnotes, and bibliography)

3.) Bibliography contents:

·         Maintain a consistent format

·         Use references in the bibliography and citations in the essay

Poem Rules:

The poem must have two parts: 1) Title page, 2) Poem. The poem must be listed on a separate page and not reference the applicant’s name or information.

1.) Title Page contents:

·         Poem title

·         Applicant’s name, grade, address, phone number & email

·         Applicant’s high school’s name, address & phone number

2.) Poem contents:

·         Poem can be written in any poetic style.

Submission Deadline:

All submissions must be made by the high school principal. Submissions must be submitted by January 21, 2022 to [email protected].