High School Essays

HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST

All Wisconsin high school students (grades 9-12) are eligible to participate in a High School Essay Contest conducted annually by the Wisconsin Labor History Society. The high school students are asked to write an essay of approximately 750 words on the following theme: “Unions have been important to my family and my community because …” and up to eight cash prizes are awarded for the best. The prizes will include one $500 first-place prize, one $300 second-place prize, one $200 third-place prize, and up to five $100 prizes for honorable mention. (Information about the 2009-2010 School Year Contest, rules and deadlines can be found by clicking HERE .)  The rules for 2010-2011 contest will be announced in September; usually they will follow guidelines of year before.

Eight students win labor history essay honors in 2009-2010 competition; donors listed

Eight Wisconsin high school students were named cash prize winners in the Wisconsin Labor History Society’s annual Essay Contest for 2009-2010.

The winners are to be honored announced at the Society’s annual conference April 17, 2010 at the IBEW Joint Apprenticeship Training Center in Wauwatosa.  They will receive awards ranging from $100 to $500.   Students competed with a 750 word essay on “Unions Are Important to my Family and Community . . .”

The winners were:

Christain Slama, a 9^th grader at Kenosha’s Tremper High school, first place prize of $500.

Dora Siel, a 12^th grader at Kenosha’s Bradford High School, second place award of $300.

Melissa M. Ertl, an 11^th grader at Chequamegon High School, Park Falls, third place award of $200.

Five students were awarded $100 each for Honorable Mention awards in the contest.  They were:

Hillary Singer, 12^th grade, Whitnall High School, Greenfield

Melanie Ramsey, of Prairie du Sac

Kyle Kemper, 12^th grade,  Burlington High

Robert J. Wolf, 12^th grade, Muskego High School

Logan Schneider, 12^th grade, Menasha High School

Entries are accepted from high school students throughout the state, and judging is done by a committee of Wisconsin Labor History Society members.  Harvey J. Kaye and Andrew Kersten, both professors of history and social change at University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, judged the essays.

Donations were received from many local unions and labor councils to fund the costs of running the contest and the awards.  The WLHS has been running the contest for 29 years.   In addition, the funds are used to sponsor awards for the National History Day statewide program for those entries featuring labor.

Thanks to these supporters who made contributions to WLHS Labor in Schools Project