April is Confederate History Month by Louisiana State and municipality proclamation. To celebrate, the Major Thomas McGuire Camp of the SCV is sponsoring its fourth annual essay contest. Here are the rules:

Any Louisiana secondary student is eligible who is 14 – 18 years of age, in private, public, or parochial school. Home schooled students are also eligible. Members of the Major Thomas McGuire Camp will judge all essays. Your essay will be judged on its originality, creativity, enthusiasm, historical accuracy, grammar and evidence of research. Prizes are: First Place: $150.00, Second Place: $100.00, Third Place $50.00
The essay:
1. Must be multi-paragraph prose and not poetry, although it may contain quoted lines of poetry
2. Must contain no less than 500 words nor more than 1500 words.
3. Must be legibly written or typed using only one side of each sheet of paper
4. Must be your original work.
5. Must not be previous work, or previously published work.
6. Must be ‘an original’ not a photocopy.
7. Must have a “Title” or “Cover” Page containing:
a. The title of your essay
b. Your name, address, and telephone number
c. The name, address and telephone number of your school if you are not home-schooled.
d. A statement that the work is your own, original, writing
e. Your signature
1. Your submission must be postmarked by May 4, 2007. The hand-delivery deadline is May 7, 2007.
2. The judging process will be completed by June 12, 2007.
3. Notification of winners will be made soon as possible after winners are chosen.
4. You will be notified by mail and by telephone should your essay be a winner.
5. A time and place for making the award will be established (August 14, 2007) once winners are declared.
6. Essays will not be returned. If you want a copy, please keep a photocopy.
7. For a list of winners, should you not win, please include with your essay a SASE.

Send Completed Essays To:
CHM Essay
683 Caples Road
West Monroe, LA 71292