Information about the 2009 - 2010 contest is now available on this Web page. Please contact Compatriot Benjamin D. Horne at (801)582-1776
The National Society, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Knight Essay Contest is open to all students attending public, parochial, or private high schools (including accredited home schools) who are in their junior or senior year of study during the contest year.
The contest requires an original essay written in English, with a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 750 words (excluding title page and bibliography).
The topic of the essay theme about the United States Constitution. Can it stand the test of time.
The contest is conducted in three phases: The Five Chapters: The contest is generally entered through competition at an SAR Chapter in the student's area. In some cases, where there is no Chapter competition, the contest may be entered at the State Society level. Prizes may or may not be awarded to winners at the Chapter level. The winners of Chapter competitions are automatically entered into their State Society's competition. Utah State Society: Prizes will be awarded to winners at the Utah State Society level. The winners of Utah State Society competitions are automatically entered into the National Society competition. National Society: Only the first place winners of the Utah State Society competitions will be considered in the national competition. The national prizes are awarded at the National Congress:
For further information about the contest, do one of the following
The Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Oration Contest is open to all students attending public, parochial, or private high schools who are in their sophomore, junior or senior year of study during the contest year.The preliminary rounds of the contest are held by Chapters and/or State Societies of the Sons of the American Revolution to select one winner from each participating state. In regions (SAR Districts) where no State Society sponsors an entrant, an SAR District entry is permitted. Prizes will be awarded to winners of Chapter and Utah State Society competitions. For further information about the contest, do one of the following
Write (making sure to enclose a number 10, business size, self-addressed envelope) to the
Write (making sure to enclose
a number 10, business size, self-addressed envelope) to the
Chairman of the Rumbaugh Oration Contest
c/o NSSAR Headquarters
1000 South Fourth Street
Louisville, KY 40203-3208 Rules of the Rumbaugh
Oration Contest The National Society competition between
State Society winners is held during the NSSAR's National Congress.
National Society prizes are:
Scouts who complete their Eagle rank between July 1, 1998, and June 30, 1999, are eligible to compete in the SAR Eagle Scout Essay Contest for the national prize to be awarded in June 2000. The closing date for entries to chapter level competition is typically December 31, 1998, (so Scouts have six to eighteen months after earning Eagle to complete the award application process.
Entrants need to complete only one application -- the one for the chapter competition. If it is a winner it is then used for the state competition, and if it is a winner again it is used for the national competition.
Note: The contest for Scouts who completed their Eagle rank between July 1, 1997, and June 30, 1998, is now closed to new applicants. The national prize will be awarded in June, 1999.
The contest is conducted in three phases, local (Chapter), state (Society), and National. The contest usually must be entered through competition at the Chapter level. In some cases, the contest may be entered at the state level. You may not enter at the national level.
Prizes may be awarded at Chapter (local) and State Society (state) levels; the national prize is several thousand dollars.
For further information about the contest, do one of the following
The SAR ROTC Medal is approved
by the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United
States Marine Corps., and the United States Air Force. Each service
has notified its ROTC and JROTC units of this approval and has
authorized presentation to its cadets or midshipmen. The US Navy
Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) is hereby authorized to receive the SAR
JROTC (Bronze) Medal, under the same terms and conditions listed
below. Through out the remainder of this document, "JROTC"
will be a generic title, referring to both JROTC and NSCC units
and cadets.
This award may be presented by the
National Society, a state society, or a chapter to students enrolled
in ROTC or JROTC programs. The issuance of the medal endeavors
to foster the principle of the "citizen-soldier" exemplified
by the Minutemen.
Click
the Minuteman Medallion for a large graphic of the JROTC Medals/Ribbons.
Recipients are selected for a high degree of merit
with respect to leadership qualities, military bearing and general
excellence. The recipients are selected by the Commanding Officer
of the ROTC or JROTC unit, who should be given full latitude in
making the selection.
One medal will normally be awarded
each year in ROTC or JROTC units with fewer than 500 cadets or
midshipmen. For larger units, one medal may be presented for each
500 students enrolled in the unit. Moreover, where a school has
more than one ROTC or JROTC unit, each unit is counted separately.
It is desirable to have the medal on display with its ribbon bar
in a trophy case at each school where it is presented. This will
serve as an incentive to the students and publicize the SAR ROTC
program as well.
The medal is struck on a circular
planchet and on the obverse is depicted a Minuteman holding a
rifle, with a plow and the Liberty Bell in the background, and
is inscribed, with the letters, "ROTC". The reverse
is inscribed "Awarded for Leadership, Soldierly Bearing and
Excellence to _________________." It is suspended from a
ribbon of the SAR Colors. A ribbon bar in the SAR colors is included
and a certificate is available.
The Silver ROTC Medal is presented
only to students in a college or university ROTC unit. No recipient
may receive it more than once. A miniature medal is not available.
The Bronze JROTC Medal is presented
only to students in secondary school JROTC units an NSCC units.
No recipient may receive it more than once. It was authorized
in 1933.
In 1997, the President General authorized
the enhancement of the JROTC program. It was decided that each
Chapter should select an Outstanding JROTC Cadet and enter their
champion into their State Society's Outstanding JROTC Cadet program.
The winner of the State competition should be entered into a National
JROTC Recognition program. The winner of the National program
is to be presented at the National Congress, and receive a special
award.
INTRODUCING A NEW PROGRAM
As directed by the President General, the SAR
Enhanced JROTC program will eventually have a two prong purpose:
The initial goal is to:
(a) have a NSSAR Compatriot make a personal presentation of every
SAR ROTC medal to every award winning ROTC/JROTC student in the
Nation; and
(b) continue to determine how NSSAR can encourage and recognize
these outstanding student citizens and therefore support this
exceptional, national youth program.
The second purpose of this program
is to identify and recognize an Outstanding JROTC Cadet at the
Chapter, State Society, and National Society levels. The program
has been drafted to allow all candidates to be evaluated equally,
regardless of the Military Service they represent. The program
is structured to allow the Chapters to be involved with, and provide,
direct support to JROTC Units in their area. This meets the primary
purpose of the program, to get the Chapters involved with the
JROTC.
There is a definite time table associated
with this program. The Chapter should contact the Senior or District
Instructor of the local JROTC unit(s) at the beginning of the
school year. Throughout the year the Chapter should remain in
contact with the administrators of the school and the JROTC unit,
providing support for other programs and discussing plans for
this program. The Chapter should have the school administration,
along with the Instructors of the JROTC unit, evaluate candidates
based on the criteria listed below and select one nominee for
each JROTC unit (battalion, squadron, etc.) If the Chapter supports
several JROTC units, it may be necessary to have a local contest
to select the best Cadet from the area. Only one Cadet per Chapter
may advance to the State competition. The local contest must have
only SAR members as judges. All contests should be administered
using the guidelines listed below.
New Selection Process:
No later than April 1 each year, the local Chapters
must have completed their local competitions and have forwarded
their State Contest entry packets to their respective State Contest
Chairman. All State Society Contests must be completed and the
National Contest entry packet must be forwarded to the NSSAR Executive
Director to be in his office no later than May 1 each year. The
Chapter sponsoring the Outstanding Cadet in the Nation will be
contacted so that they can coordinate the Cadet's travel to the
NSSAR Annual Congress. The Cadet will be flown to the NSSAR Congress
to attend the Tuesday night banquet, receive his/her award, and
be recognized by the National Society Sons of the American Revolution.
Expenses:
The NSSAR Congress travel expenses covered by
this program will include one airline ticket to and from the site
of the convention, also included will be a one night stay in the
Hotel hosting the Congress, dinner at the banquet, breakfast and
transportation to and from the airport. No other room charges,
meals or out of pocket expenses will be covered by this award
program. All of the above relate to the expenses of the Cadet
only. Travel expenses incurred by other individuals traveling
with the Cadet will not be covered by this program. The travel
expenses related to the respective State Conventions will be at
the discretion of the said State Societies.
Selection Criteria:
Note: The following criteria will be recommended to all Service
Branches as a replacement for their current regulations.
Currently enrolled as a JROTC
cadet (or the equivalent, see ).
1 An outstanding second year cadet (in a 2 or 3
year program) or a third year cadet (in a 4 year program). This
allows the recipient to wear the award throughout their senior
year.
2 Must be in the
top 10 percent of his/her class in JROTC, and in the top 50 percent
of his/her class in overall academic standing.
3 Recommended by their Commanding Officer (Senior Instructor)
and principal or head of the appropriate institution, serving
as a nomination committee.
4 It is recommended that the local nominating committee
utilize the following criteria in making their decision and the
statistics to support that decision should be recorded on the
form provided:
CRITERIA
[Points]
0. Military scholarship and grades
(grades earned in JROTC (military education))
[50]
1. Academic scholarship and grades
(grades earned in all courses other than in military education.)
[50]
2. Military Leadership - displaying
outstanding military potential. The candidate must maintain consistent
military
excellence. [50]
3. Academic leadership (separate from
academic grades attained in military education.) To include all
demonstrated qualities of leadership in student organizations,
constructive activities, participation in sports, etc.) In short,
list academic, athletic, and other extra circular achievements.
The candidate must maintain consistent academic excellence.
[50]
4. Demonstrated qualities of discipline,
courtesy, and character, and other consistently demonstrated potential
qualities as an officer (to be an overall estimate for all pertinent
elements of the cadet's performance.) The recipient must be of
high moral character, and demonstrate positive personal attributes.
[100]
5. Total point weight against which
leading students are selected [300]
6. In the case that there are several
outstanding cadets to be considered, an additional (optional)
requirement maybe imposed - an original essay, written by the
cadet (may be done on a computer, typewriter, or by hand (in ink))
on the topic of "How has JROTC prepared me to be a better
citizen of the United States of America".
7. If the cadet wins locally and advances
to the State competition, the essay is required and must accompany
the entry form when forwarded to the State Committee Chairman.
Awards:
The cadet chosen to win this award will receive
the SAR JROTC (Bronze) Medal.
If the cadet wins the local Chapter
award as the Outstanding Cadet of the SAR Chapter area he/she
may receive a Bronze Star to wear on the Medal Ribbon Drape, a
Bronze Frame for the SAR Ribbon Bar, and a Bronze Presentation
Medallion on a neck ribbon.
The cadet winning the SAR State Society
Competition may receive a Silver Star to wear on the Medal Ribbon
Drape, a Silver Frame for the Ribbon Bar, and a Silver Presentation
Medallion on a neck ribbon.
The winner of the National Competition will receive a Gold Star
for the Medal Ribbon Drape, a Gold Frame for the SAR Ribbon Bar,
and a Gold Presentation Medallion on a neck ribbon.
In addition to these devices, the
local Chapter may choose to provide a nominal amount of award
money or a US Savings Bond.
The State Society may choose to provide
some award in recognition of the Outstanding State Cadet.
The National Society will provide
an amount equal to or more than one thousand dollars ($1,000)
in award money.
******************
Note on US Navy Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC)
Effective June 15, 1998 the US Navy Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) is no longer eligible to receive the SAR JROTC (Bronze) Medal. The NSCC is an outstanding program and should be supported by recognizing the Outstanding NSCC Cadet with the Bronze Good Citizenship Medal. For a picture (Medal image [69K takes 40 sec at 14.4 kbaud] and additional information about this award may be found at the Bronze Good Citizenship Medal page.
For further information about the contest, do one of the following
