Topeka - Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas Essay Contests
Kansans of all ages who love history are encouraged to enter one of two essay contests presented by Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas. Winners will be announced and recognized as part of the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas annual festivities on January 28, 2023
The annual Olive Ann Beech Kansas Factual Story Contest, which began in 1931, encourages preservation of actual happenings and anecdotes from today and yesterday. The writing contest is open to everyone, one entry per person. Stories must be true and unpublished, take place in Kansas, and are limited to 750 words.
Submissions should use “Beech Memorial Contest” in the subject line, and include the author’s name, mailing address, and phone number. This essay contest is named for aviation’s Olive Ann Beech, of Wichita, who provided essay contest winners with cash awards for more than 30 years. The Beech essay contest cash awards are: first place, $300; second place, $250; third place, $150; and $100 each for two honorable mentions. Entries will be judged on quality of writing and interesting anecdotal stories about Kansas.
Olive Ann Beech essay contest entries must be submitted electronically via email by 5 p.m. Friday, December 9, 2022. Send to Derenda J. Mitchell, Kansas Historical Foundation, dmitchell@kshistory.org.
The Mamie Boyd Kansas Say It Above a Whisper Contest, sponsored by Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas, began in 1936 for students to express pride in their state. The contest is open to Kansas students in grade eight through 12, one entry per person, and are limited to 250 words.
Submissions should use “Boyd Essay Contest” in the subject line, and include the author’s name, school, grade, mailing address, and phone number. Kansas newspaperwoman Mamie Boyd coined the phrase used for the contest title. The Boyd essay contest cash awards are: first place, $300; second place, $250; third place, $150; and $100 each for two honorable mentions. Past essays have described interesting and strong-hearted Kansans, the state’s vast grain crops and grasslands, diversities in population, and the emotions and pride brought to mind by the state’s unique beauty. Entries will be judged on quality of writing, originality, creativity, and sincerity in expressing pride in the state of Kansas.
Mamie Boyd essay contest entries must be submitted electronically via email by 5 p.m. Friday, December 9, 2022,Send to Derenda J. Mitchell, Kansas Historical Foundation, dmitchell@kshistory.org.
