WOOD COUNTY Bar Association There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest 2008

 

Overview

The Wood County Bar Association is sponsoring a Law Day project.  Focusing on how laws are developed, the project asks students (grades 7–12) to write about what they believe “ought to be a law.”

 

The essays will be judged by local members of the Bar and the winners will be divided as follows: 7th and 8th grade division (Junior High) and the High School Division.

 

What is Law Day?

Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, Law Day celebrates the American heritage of liberty, justice and equality under the law.  Every year, Law Day provides legal professionals and others with opportunities to help students and the public understand how the law protects our freedoms. 

 

Contest Objectives and Guidelines

The goal of the There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest is to help students develop the skills, attitudes and values they need to become responsible and influential citizens.  Thinking through and writing about the process of developing a law is a tangible way for students to participate in the annual Law Day celebration.  The contest is open to students in grades 7 through 12 during the 2007­–2008 academic year.

 

Each student participant must write an essay of 1,000 words or less proposing a new rule or law to be enacted at the school, community, county, state or national level.  Each essayist is asked to adhere to the following guidelines:

 

1)      Propose a new law that, to the student’s knowledge, is not currently in effect.

2)      Use for topic ideas, but do not copy, any proposed or pending legislation.  Information about past, current and pending legislation is available at http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/ for the state of Ohio and http://thomas.loc.gov/ for the federal government.

·        Do not use topics covered by place winners in the previous contests.  

4) Explain fully the proposed law by:

·        clarifying what the law would do or change;

·        exploring the benefits and consequences of the proposed law;

·        anticipating the proposed law’s impact on existing rules or laws as well as the law’s impact on those who would be affected;

·        explaining why the law needs to be created and who will enforce the law;

·        telling where the law would be effective.

5) Submit a typewritten essay in a 12-point font and include:

• the student’s name, address, phone number and grade level;
• the student’s county of residence and local bar association name (if applicable);
• completed parental release form (if student is under 18);
• school name, address, phone number, and educator’s name (if applicable);documentation of all research on the enclosed Works Cited page or an attached sheet (if applicable).

 

Resources

Visit the Ohio State Bar Association Web site at www.ohiobar.org (search in “Public” area under “Programs”/ “Law Day Essay Contest”) and download lesson plan materials to help students understand the lawmaking process and how to propose an effective law. Make arrangements for a local lawyer to visit your classroom by contacting one of the officers of the Wood County Bar Association at www.woodcobarassociation.org  .

 

Selection criteria

All entries will be judged according to the criteria described in the “Contest Objectives and Guidelines.”  Entries will be judged on three levels:  local, regional and state.  Finalists will be invited to Columbus for a recognition luncheon at the Law Day Celebration.

 

Prizes*

 

Division                                        1st Place     2nd Place     3^rd place

 

High School division                       $300                 $150           $75

Junior High division                        $150                 $100           $50

 

* Awards are in U.S. Savings Bonds.  Winnings essays may be posted.

 

Contest Entering Process:

The contest is open to all local students in grades 7–12, whether or not their schools participate in the contest. 

 

Essays from participating schools:

·        Students from participating schools will submit essays to a school official (teacher, administrator, etc.)

 

Essays from students whose schools are not participating or who are home-schooled:

·        Students whose schools are not participating or who are not affiliated with a school may send entries directly to the Wood County Bar Association for consideration.

1.      A student in this category must indicate in the appropriate space provided on the entry form that his or her school is not participating or that he or she is not affiliated with a school.

2.      A student who is affiliated with a non-participating school must provide the school’s name, address, and telephone number. 

 

Mail or fax your entries to:

There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest

Wood County Bar Association

% Pamela A. Heringhaus, Esq.

1 Courthouse Square

Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

FAX:  (419) 354.9291

 

Restrictions

The Wood County Bar Association’s There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.

 

Deadline

To be eligible for regional and state competition, essays must be mailed or faxed to the WCBA and postmarked by April 15, 2008.  The OSBA bears no responsibility for loss or damage to entries.  All entries submitted to the OSBA become the property of the OSBA.

 

Questions

Contact Pamela A. Heringhaus, 419.354.9290 or pheringhaus@co.wood.oh.us

Note:  This entry form may be copied and distributed. Also, all other essay contest materials may be copied and distributed for educational purposes.

 

Thanks to the Ohio State Bar Association Law Day Planning Committee:

 

Peter Hahn - Buckingham Doolittle & Burroughs, OSBA New Lawyers Section

Diana Ramos-Reardon - Office of Criminal Justice Services

Mike Sammons - Ohio Center for Law Related Education (OCLRE)

James Faust - Lynchburg-Clay High School

Entry Form:
There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest

 

The entry form and release forms must be fully completed and submitted for an entry to be considered.

 

Deadline: January 31, 2007

 

Name: ______________________________________________________ Grade: ____________

Home address: _______________________________ Home phone: _______________________

City:                                                                    State: ______ Zip:                                        

County:                                                  e-mail (if applicable):                                                   

Local bar association (if applicable):                                                                                          

 

Please check any boxes that apply:

[   ] I am entering the contest as a representative of my participating school.

[   ] I am entering the contest as an individual because my school is not participating.

[   ] I am entering the contest as an individual because I am not affiliated with a public or

       private school. 

Note:  School information is not required for home-schooled students.

 

 

School:                                                                                                                              

School phone:                                         email (if applicable):                                                     

Teacher: __________________________________ Principal:                                                           

School address:                                                                                                                          

City: ___________________________________ State: ______ Zip:                                     

School district superintendent: _________________________ District phone:                          

 

[   ] 7^th and 8^th grade division [   ] 9th–10th grade division [   ] 11th–12th grade division

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entry Form:
There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest

(continued)

 

I state as follows:

1.   I have read, understand, complied with and accept the terms of the contest objectives and guidelines for the Law Day There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest (hereinafter the “Competition”).

2.    I warrant and represent that I personally wrote the essay I submitted to the Competition.  I further warrant and represent that the essay I submitted has not been published before its submission to this Competition, and that any reference material I have used has been properly cited and not plagiarized.

3.   I am a student, age 10 to 18, who has not graduated from high school, and I am a citizen and/or resident of the United States.  I am not an employee of the Ohio State Bar Association (hereinafter “OSBA”) or its affiliates or an immediate family member or member of the household of an employee of the OSBA or its affiliates.

4.   I hereby release, discharge and hold harmless the OSBA and its successors, assigns, officers, employees and agents associated with the Competition from and against any and all liability, loss, damage, expense, claims, settlements or judgments of any kind whatsoever, including attorneys’ fees, whether in contract or in tort, arising directly or indirectly as a result of my participation in the Competition, and my acceptance and use of a prize awarded to me, if any.

5.   I consent to the use of my name, biographical data, pictures, portraits, photographs, voice or likeness, and the essay entered by me in the Competition in any form for editorial, advertising, promotional and trade purposes in connection with the promotion by the OSBA of this Competition and succeeding Law Day programs sponsored by the OSBA.  I release the Ohio State Bar Association from all liabilities arising out of distortion, optical illusions or faulty mechanical reproductions of my likeness.  I acknowledge that I have no right to approve the advertising or promotional materials that include my likeness or the essay submitted by me to the Competition.

6.         The Parent or Guardian Release Form on the back of this entry form has been signed by my parent or legal guardian (if applicable), stating that my parent or legal guardian has read and also accepts the same legal obligations outlined above.

7.   I am 18 years of age, or if I am not 18 years of age, I have obtained the signature of my parent or legal guardian as described below.

Entrant’s signature: _________________________________________ Date: _______________

Phone number: _____________________________________________

Parent’s or legal guardian’s name (if entrant is under18):_________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parent or Guardian Release Form

(To be completed by parent or guardian of entrant – for applicants under age 18.)

 

I, ______________________________________________, hereby represent and warrant that I am the parent or legal guardian of the identified entrant and that I accept the same legal obligations stated on the front in connection with this Competition, including but not limited to, the use of the minor’s name, likeness and essay as stated on the front, and consent to the minor named herein accepting and receiving a prize, if any.  I also hereby release, discharge and hold harmless the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) successors, assigns, officers, employees and agents associated with the Competition from and against any and all liability, loss, damage, expense, claims, settlements or judgments of any kind whatsoever, including attorneys’ fees, whether in contract or in tort, which I or my heirs, executors or administrators may have arising directly or indirectly as a result of the minor’s participation in the Competition and acceptance and receipt of a prize, if any.

Name:                                                                                                                                     

Street address:                                                                                                                         

City: ____________________________ State: ____ Zip: ____________ County:                 

Phone number: _________________________________   

Signature:                                                                                               Date:                          

 

Essay Contest Judging Criteria
Category	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor
Explanation of the Proposed Law	Clear, logical and well-focused. Many details or examples.	Clear, logical and focused with details or examples.	Somewhat lacking in clarity, logic or focus. Some details or examples.	Little clarity, logic or focus.  Few details or examples.
Benefits and Consequences of the Law	Benefits and consequences clearly stated. Numerous examples.	Benefits and consequences stated, but few or no examples.	Benefits or consequences provided, but not both. Few or no examples.	No mention of benefits or consequences.
Impact of the Law	Clear statement of impact on existing laws, rules and/or people. Many examples.	Impact on existing laws, rules and/or people included.  Some examples.	Only passing mention of impact on existing laws, rules and/or people. Few or no examples.	No mention of impact on existing laws, rules or people.
Enforcement and Jurisdiction	Specifies in detail who will enforce the law and on what level it will be effective (e.g., school, local, state, federal level).	Specifies who will enforce the proposed law and where it will be effective. Few details.	Mentions who will enforce the law or where it will be effective, but not both.  No details.	No mention of who will enforce the law or where it will be effective.
Creativity	Very original topic/law.  Creative presentation.	Topic/law is unique or original in some way.  Fairly creative presentation.	Fairly original topic/law or fairly creative presentation, but not both.	Little or no apparent attempt to be original or creative.
Organization	Very well organized; clear introduction, discussion and conclusion. Many supporting details.	Organized; includes introduction, discussion and conclusion.  Some details.	Essay lacks one element (introduction, discussion or conclusion). Few details.	No clear introduction, discussion or conclusion. Few or no details.
Mechanics	Few or no grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization errors. Word choice appropriate and varied.	Two to four errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization. Word choice appropriate.	Five or six errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization. Word choice somewhat limited.	More than six errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization. Word choice limited or inappropriate.
Form	All presentation guidelines followed (see #5 under Contest Objectives and Guidelines).	Most presentation guidelines followed.	Some presentation guidelines followed.	Little attempt made to follow presentation guidelines.