The 2010 Young Native Writers Essay Contest, sponsored by Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, seeks entries from Native American high school students about their experiences and their history. Eligible applicants include Native American and Alaska Native individuals who are enrolled members of a state- or federally-recognized tribe and who are also enrolled in high schools or alternative schools, or are home-schooled. Five first-place winners will be chosen to receive scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, and will be flown to Washington, D.C. to visit the National Museum of the American Indian and other prominent sites.
 
High school students responding to this year's writing contest should write an essay of no more than 1,200 words that addresses the following prompt:

"Describe a crucial issue confronting your tribal community today. Explain how you hope to help your tribal community respond to this challenge and improve its future."

In preparation for writing, students should draw from their own personal knowledge and research information from a variety of sources. Primary and secondary source material could include: historical and reference material, interviews, personal experiences, oral testimonies, official documents, diaries, letters, autobiographies, newspapers, academic journals, films and television movies, CD-ROM, and Internet sources.
 
Complete information including rules and entry form is available at http://nativewriters.hklaw.com/2009/index.asp. For more information contact Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation at 1.866.452.2737 or nativewriters@hklaw.com.

Deadline: May, 20, 2010