American Legion Expands Student Essay Contest In Guilford

Information via Town of Guilford website

GUILFORD, CT — Darrow-Rebuzzini American Legion Post 48 is expanding its annual student essay contest to include middle schoolers and will sponsor more local students for Boys State and Girls State this year, thanks to funding support from the Guilford Foundation and Guilford Community Fund, according to an announcement from the town.

Post 48 has sponsored an annual essay contest for Guilford High School seniors, asking students to write a 500-word essay on why honoring a veteran is important. The winner receives a $1,000 scholarship.

This year, the Post is launching a parallel middle school contest open to sixth graders at Baldwin Middle School and eighth graders at Adams Middle School.

Students are being asked to submit essays of about 500 words on a veteran-related topic assigned by their school. The contest winner will receive either a $500 U.S. savings bond or a $500 contribution to an existing 529 college fund.

"A priority of Guilford American Legion Post 48 is to invest in the youth of Guilford," Post 48 Senior Vice Commander and Finance Officer Fred Brisbois said in an announcement.

The Post hopes to expand the middle school competition further next year to include fifth and seventh graders.

Additional community support will also allow the Post to send more Guilford students to the Connecticut Boys State and Laurel Girls State programs. Those selected will spend six days at the University of New Haven learning about the political process.

The Post expects to send two or three students to each program this year, rather than one student in each program as in the past.

Donations to support the Post’s youth initiatives and veterans’ assistance programs can be mailed by check to American Legion Post 48, P.O. Box 1453, Guilford, CT 06437.

More information can be found here.