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Ohio State Bar Association’s There Ought To Be A Law Essay Contest

Overview Focusing on how laws are developed, this project asks students (grades 7–12) to write about what they believe “ought to be a law.”

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 Ohio students in grades 7 through 12.

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. 3) Do not use topics covered by place winners in the previous year’s contest [if applicable]. Place-winning topics from last year’s contest are: [provide if applicable] 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.

Selection criteria All entries will be judged according to the criteria described in the “Contest Objectives and Guidelines.”

Prizes

[Include any prize information here]

Contest Entering Process: The contest is open to all Ohio 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.) for pre-selection. · EACH SCHOOL WILL SUBMIT NO MORE THAN ONE ESSAY PER DIVISION. · School submissions should include: 1. essays and corresponding entry forms, including any source citations and parental release forms (if applicable); 2. a list of all other students who prepared essays for this contest.

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 [sponsoring organization] 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. (Note: If more than one entry is received from a non-participating school, that school may be contacted for pre-selection.)

Mail or fax your entries to: [Provide sponsoring organization information.]

Restrictions The 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 [sponsoring organization] and postmarked by [provide date]. The [sponsoring organization] bears no responsibility for loss or damage to entries. All entries submitted to the [sponsoring organization] become the property of the [sponsoring organization].

Questions Contact [provide appropriate information] Note: This entry form may be copied and distributed. Also, all other essay contest materials may be copied and distributed for educational purposes. 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: [provide]

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:

[ ] 7th and 8th 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 [sponsoring organization] or its affiliates or an immediate family member or member of the household of an employee of the [sponsoring organization] or its affiliates. 4. I hereby release, discharge and hold harmless the [sponsoring organization] 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 [sponsoring organization] of this Competition and succeeding Law Day programs sponsored by the [sponsoring organization]. I release the [sponsoring organization] 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 [sponsoring organization], 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

Clear, logical and Clear, logical and Somewhat lacking in Little clarity, logic or Explanation of well-focused. Many focused with details or clarity, logic or focus. focus. Few details or the Proposed details or examples. examples. Some details or examples. Law examples.

Benefits and Benefits and Benefits or No mention of benefits or Benefits and consequences clearly consequences stated, consequences provided, consequences. Consequences of stated. Numerous but few or no but not both. Few or no the Law examples. examples. examples.

Clear statement of Impact on existing Only passing mention No mention of impact on Impact of the impact on existing laws, rules and/or of impact on existing existing laws, rules or Law laws, rules and/or people included. laws, rules and/or people. people. Many Some examples. people. Few or no examples. examples.

Specifies in detail Specifies who will Mentions who will No mention of who will Enforcement and who will enforce the enforce the proposed enforce the law or enforce the law or where it Jurisdiction law and on what level law and where it will where it will be will be effective. it will be effective be effective. Few effective, but not both. (e.g., school, local, details. No details. state, federal level).

Very original Topic/law is unique or Fairly original Little or no apparent Creativity topic/law. Creative original in some way. topic/law or fairly attempt to be original or presentation. Fairly creative creative presentation, creative. presentation. but not both.

Very well organized; Organized; includes Essay lacks one No clear introduction, Organization clear introduction, introduction, element (introduction, discussion or conclusion. discussion and discussion and discussion or Few or no details. conclusion. Many conclusion. Some conclusion). Few supporting details. details. details.

Few or no grammar, Two to four errors in Five or six errors in More than six errors in Mechanics spelling, punctuation grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, or capitalization punctuation or punctuation or punctuation or errors. Word choice capitalization. Word capitalization. Word capitalization. Word appropriate and choice appropriate. choice somewhat choice limited or varied. limited. inappropriate.

All presentation Most presentation Some presentation Little attempt made to Form guidelines followed guidelines followed. guidelines followed. follow presentation (see #5 under Contest guidelines. Objectives and Guidelines).

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