10th Annual Photo-Essay Competition

2008 Photo-Essay Competition
Restore-Reuse-Recycle

To celebrate Preservation Month in May 2008, the Kentucky Heritage Council and Preservation Kentucky, Inc. are pleased to announce the Restore-Reuse-Recycle: Photo-Essay Competition for all Kentucky school students.

Students should select an older building, site or structure in their community and reflect on how its preservation and adaptive use can benefit environmental causes and sustainable development.  In attempting to discuss the "green" benefits of preservation, students may want to compare the benefits of recycling historic places to the cost of "throwing them away."  Students may want to address the intrinsic historic value and significance of the historic site, but also consider the energy used for its production, land fill, replacement material and other environmental costs to Kentucky represented by the loss of historic buildings.  In the essays, the students will want to address the best way to "recycle" the selected historic place for the economic, environmental, and social value to the community. 

Entries should be thoughtful and creative essays about the importance of preserving and recycling Kentucky’s historic resources for future generations. For the competition, students should photograph a historic building or structure in their community and then write an essay describing the historic resource and explaining its relationship to the theme.

The Kentucky Heritage Council and Preservation Kentucky hope that the Photo-Essay Competition will stimulate young people’s interest in historic preservation and will provide an opportunity for students to interact with their local decision-makers (mayors, city council / commission members, county judge/executives, magistrates, etc.) regarding the importance of historic preservation.  As part of the competition, students are required to submit a copy of their essay to at least one local decision-maker in addition to judges.

Photo-essay winners will receive cash awards and other prizes and all competition participants will receive a certificate of recognition.  Photo-essay winners will present their winning essays and photographs and will be recognized as part of the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation Preservation Awards ceremony in May 2008.

The Kentucky Heritage Council serves as the State Historic Preservation Office.  Preservation Kentucky, Inc. is a statewide, nonprofit preservation organization and Statewide Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

You can view winning essays from previous years online at Preservation Kentucky’s Web site 

Eligibility:
The competition is open to any student enrolled in Grades 1 through 12 (public or private schools, including home schools) as of the date the essay is submitted.  (NOTE: Students whose parents serve on or are employed by the Kentucky Heritage Council or whose parents are employed by or serve as board member of Preservation Kentucky, Inc. are ineligible to participate in this competition.)

Deadline & Requirements:

1. Deadline.  Essays must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2008.
   
   
2. Length.  Essays must be between 250 and 1000 words in length.  This is the equivalent of 1 to 4 typed, double-spaced pages.  All essays must be typed.  Handwritten essays will not be considered.
   
   
3. Content.  Students should identify, document, and photograph a historic building, site, or structure located in or near their community and then write an essay describing the historic property and explaining why the historic resource is significant and should be preserved and protected for future generations.  Entries will be judged, in part, on their “persuasive quality,” the student’s ability to convince readers of his/her point of view.  Entries will also be judged on the incorporation of the theme and of researched facts (for example, from an interview, magazine, newspaper, or book) about the historic building, site, or structure.
   
   
4. Photographs or Other Illustrations.  Students must include at least one color or black and white photograph of the historic property.  Digital images are permitted, however, a printed copy of the image must be included with the essay.  If you do not have access to a camera or if this requirement causes a hardship, we will accept other illustrations (drawing, sketch, painting, etc.) of the subject historic property.  The maximum photograph or illustration size should be 8" x 10", and the photograph or illustration must have been completed by the student on or after August 1, 2007.  Entries will be judged, in part, on the quality and content of the photographs.  Attach the photograph or illustration by a paper clip to the entry form.  If the photograph is placed within the essay, please also include a separate, stand alone copy.  Do not staple or write on photographs or illustrations.  No photographs or illustrations will be returned.
   
   
5. Entry Form.  Students must submit a signed entry form along with your essay and photograph.  An official entry form is attached.
   
   
6. Local Decision-Maker Contact.  Students must contact a local decision-maker (mayor, city council or commission member, county judge-executive, magistrate, etc.) and provide a copy of his/her essay to that elected official.
   
   
7. Where to Submit Essays.  Mail two copies of the essay, one original photograph, and one copy of the entry form to: Kentucky Heritage Council, Attn: 2008 Photo-Essay Competition, 300 Washington Street, Frankfort, KY 40601

Prizes, Selection of Winners, and Notification:

1. Prizes.  Cash and other prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place essays in the three categories: Primary (Grades 1-5), Intermediate (Grades 6-8), and Secondary (Grades 9-12).  All prize winners and competition participants will also receive certificates of recognition.  All category winners will receive a one year complimentary membership to Preservation Kentucky.  Photo-essay presentations and awards ceremony will be held at a celebration in May 2008.
   
   
2. Publication.  The first, second, and third place essays and accompanying photographs or illustrations will be printed on the Preservation Kentucky Inc. website and published in the Preservation Kentucky, Inc. newsletter.  All winners will be notified of the website and will receive copies of the newsletter.
   
   Both the Kentucky Heritage Council and Preservation Kentucky, Inc. retain the right to publish or excerpt from any of the essays and print or copy any of the photographs or illustration submitted in newsletters or other publications or Internet Web sites prepared by either organization.  Essays and/or photographs may appear in other newsletters or publications.  Students will be fully credited in all such publications.
   
   
3. Selection & Notification.  Members and staff of the Kentucky Heritage Council and Board and staff of Preservation Kentucky, Inc. will judge essay entries and select the first, second and third place winners.  Notification of award selections will be made no later than April 15, 2008.

A Word to Teachers and Parents:
The Kentucky Heritage Council has information about historic places in Kentucky to help students better prepare for writing their essay and photographing historic buildings, sites and structures.