Each contestant is limited to one entry per year. Previous winners may enter again. Essays will be evaluated on historical accuracy, development of content and theme, original expression, grammar, and mechanics.

Content

• Evidence of comprehensive and accurate historical research
• Utilization and consistent citation of at least 3 of the designated documents and 2 additional resources
• Adherence to theme, demonstrating substantial supporting detail
• Research section to be written in third person narrative
• Reflects personal insight, interpretation, and unique writing style with minimal direct quotes
• Synthesis of information gathered from a variety of both print and digital sources

Mechanics

• Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Completed entry form, including original signatures where indicated
• Proper citations – all citation styles are accepted, but citations must be consistent
• Sources – The ideal essay will reflect a variety of print and digital sources. Whole books found online are considered digital sources.
• Works Cited – Only sources cited in the body of the paper should appear on the Works Cited.
• Typed double-spaced on 8.5” x 11” plain white paper and size 12 font. Use only one side of the paper.
• Maximum of 1200 words. All words in the body of the essay except internal citations are counted in the total.
• Essays must be free of plagiarism. Those with passages copied directly from other sources, without proper citations, or containing vast amounts of quoted or minimally paraphrased material are subject to disqualification.
• One cover sheet with the student’s name, school and teacher’s name
• Five copies of essay, each stapled in the upper left corner. To ensure blind judging, the student’s name should NOT appear on any pages of the essay.
• Electronic copy of essay, cover sheet, and Works Cited — submitted as ONE document — in Microsoft Word format. Students may submit on an individual disc/drive labeled with student’s name, school, and teacher’s name OR teacher may submit one disk/drive with all student submissions saved as separate documents titled by students’ names.

All entries become property of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education and will not be returned. Applicants give the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education permission to reprint entries. Decisions of the judges are final.

PRIZES

• The top ten essayists in each division will be recognized at a reception in May
• First, second and third place winners in each division will be awarded cash prizes
• First, second and third place sponsoring teachers will be awarded vouchers for professional development or classroom resources
• The first place school in each division will be awarded a resource collection

• Entries are limited to 1,200 words. This includes the body of the paper only. It does not include the cover sheet, title, footnotes, or Works Cited. Papers exceeding this limit may be disqualified. Students should use the “Word Count” function on their computers.
• MCHE encourages teachers to utilize this writing contest as a classroom exercise. To ensure that each essay receives the full attention of our judges, however, sponsoring teachers are limited to submitting no more than 10 essays per division.
• Each essay should reflect the student’s own work, guided and reviewed, but not edited in detail by the sponsoring teacher. Teachers should take care in attesting to compliance with contest requirements. A completed entry form with original signatures must accompany each essay.
• We strongly recommend that students link to reliable web sites through www.mchekc.org and visit MCHE’s Library and Archive, which houses nearly 3,000 titles available for free loan. Hours are 8:30 until 5:00, Monday through Friday and on Wednesdays until 7:00 pm by appointment only.
• Plagiarism results in disqualification.
• Entries must be postmarked NO LATER THAN the postmark deadline, or delivered in person to the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education office by 5:00 PM that day. Essays postmarked after the deadline, those brought to MCHE after the designated time, or essays sent by fax or e-mail will not qualify for judging.
• Up to 10 finalists in each division will be recognized at a reception in May.
• All entries become property of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education and will not be returned.
• Applicants give the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education permission to reprint entries.
• Decisions of the judges are final.

The White Rose Student Essay Contest is now open to 8th-12th grade students in the eastern half of Kansas and the western half of Missouri. Please see the map and list of counties below to determine your eligibility. Educators who teach in Kansas and Missouri who fall outside of this geographic range may contact MCHE at 913-327-8195 or jessicar@mchekc.org to discuss an exception to the geographic boundaries.

KANSAS

Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Franklin, Geary, Greenwood, Harvey, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Republic, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte

MISSOURI

Andrew, Atchison, Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Boone, Buchanan, Caldwell, Camden, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Charlton, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Dade, Dallas, Davies, De Kalb, Douglas, Gentry, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Laclede, Lafayette, Lawrence, Linn, Livingston, McDonald, Mercer, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Newton, Nodaway, Ozark, Pettis, Platte, Polk, Ray, Saline, St. Clair, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Vernon, Webster, Worth, Wright