Topic Overview

Approximately 33,000 Japanese Americans served in the US Armed Forces during World War II. Many of them voluntarily enlisted despite having their civil liberties infringed upon by the US government with the execution of Executive Order 9066 in 1942. This order forcibly incarcerated around 122,000 men, women and children in relocation centers in the interior of the United States. 

The majority of those 33,000 served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team or as linguists with the Military Intelligence Service. The 100th/442nd remains the most decorated unit for its size and duration of service in US Army history. “Go for Broke” means risking everything to win big. This was the motto adopted by these units.

Writing Prompt

Write a speech from the perspective of one of these service members speaking to a group of students today in 2023. 

In it, you must:

· include that person’s motivation for voluntarily enlisting in the military despite the circumstances.

· describe any opposition to that idea (motivation) that people may have had then or may have now.

· discuss the legacy of this chapter of American history and how it relates to modern civil liberties

· use evidence from at least three sources listed on the Contest webpage.

· use information and examples from your own knowledge of US History.

Contest Policies

Eligibility

The contest is open to United States students in grades 7 through 12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. 

Requirements

· The contest opens on October 18, 2023 and the deadline to submit is December 15, 2023 at 11:59 PM (CST).

· Students may submit a typed copy OR a video of themselves reciting it. 

· If typed, speeches can be no more than 750 words but must be a minimum of 500 words. It should be double spaced, have a title and be in 12-point font. It should be uploaded as a PDF.

· If you choose to record yourself in a video, it should be between 4 and 8 minutes long. Please be mindful of background noise and your attire. Be sure to speak loudly and clearly. Please do not read; instead, speak naturally (it's okay to write and review before you record or to have talking points). It must be uploaded as a MOV, MP4 or WMV.

· Speeches must be the original work of the student.

All entries must be submitted by 11:59pm (CST) on December 15, 2023 to be eligible for judging.  The National WWII Museum is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible, or incomplete submissions.

Decisions of the NWWIIM Writing Contest are final. Winners will be notified by email by January 31, 2024. The winners will be posted on The National WWII Museum’s website and will also receive a certificate by the end of February 2024. Awards will be sent via direct deposit during the Spring of 2024.

 By entering, you agree that your speech will become the property of The National WWII Museum and will not be returned. The National WWII Museum reserves the right to print and display the speeches names and photographs of the contest winners.

Recognition and Awards

There will be 2 categories: Junior (grades 7-9) and Senior (grades 10-12).

§ First place winners in both categories will win $750 each.

§ Second place winners in both categories will win $500 each.

§ Third place winners in both categories will win $250 each.

§ Honorable Mention in both categories will win $100 each.

Nomination criteria: 

• The 2024 Billy Michal Student Leadership Award and Leadership Forum will be hosted May 23rd-26th, 2024. Awardees are invited to The National WWII Museum in New Orleans to attend leadership programming and an awards luncheon. 
• Nominees currently must be in grades 8–12.
• Only individual students can be nominated, not groups.
• Students cannot be nominated by a family member. 
• Students may be in public, private, parochial, or home school in the United States.
• Nominations must be submitted through the Billy Michal Student Leadership Award webpage by December 15, 2023.
• Awardees will be selected based on their demonstrated commitment to making a positive contribution to their school, community, country, and/or the world.
• Only fully completed nominations will be eligible for consideration.

Once nominated students will be contacted via email to complete a student application also on Submittable. 

Scholarships for the amount of the trip ($5,795) are available for college students.  

Normandy Academy - College - July 1-11, 2024   

Normandy Academy is an 11-day college travel program that exposes students to the heroic efforts of the Allied forces during the historic D-Day landings in June, 1944 and the overall Battle of Normandy during World War II. Starting in New Orleans at The National WWII Museum, students tour the Museum's immersive exhibits and get a behind-the-scenes view of the weapons, gear, and materials used in Normandy. In New Orleans, students begin a research project that will culminate on their last day in Normandy, France.  Following the New Orleans experience, students will continue to Normandy for the most immersive and in-depth program designed for students with a quick but memorable trip to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe first. Experiences include walking on all five landing beaches, visiting museums and battlefields across the Normandy region, and exploring the charming medieval town of Bayeux. 

All meals, airfare, ground transportation in New Orleans and France, museum admissions, and lodging are included as a part of the scholarship.

REQUIREMENTS: 

Students must have completed their first year of college and be a history or education major. Additionally, all students will be required to complete the course work for the humanities college credit course offered through Nicholls State University whether they pay for the course or not. More information pertaining to the college credit will be given to the students who are awarded scholarships.  

NOTE: All students participating in the Normandy Academy must have a passport before traveling in July 2024 AND are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 (we follow all CDC and international travel guidelines and are continually monitoring numbers and trends).

World War II Classroom: Teaching History with The National WWII Museum

 Dates: July 21–27

 More than 16.1 million US military personnel served in World War II across all theaters. Of this number, around 183,500 US servicemembers were killed in battle in the European theater and around 109,000 in the Pacific Theater. On the Home Front, 27.3 million people moved from their homes to work for the war effort, while 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly and unconstitutionally removed from their homes and incarcerated. These numbers, and the individual stories behind them, can be difficult for students to fully understand. Within World War II, there are millions of stories—some well-known, others too often passed over—that can help students better understand the lessons and legacy of World War II.

 During the World War II Classroom workshop, educators will receive in-depth instruction on the complexities and relevancy of World War II and how to bring this history to life for their students in the classroom. Designed for educators looking to expand their overall knowledge of World War II, this workshop will provide teachers with a better understanding of World War II and the best strategies to use Museum resources to teach about the war.

Educators will receive:

· Arranged airfare OR a reimbursement for travel if within driving distance

· Transportation from and to the New Orleans airport if flying or paid parking if driving

· Double-occupancy rooming at The Higgins Hotel (across the street from the Museum) [*It is possible to pay for educators to pay for half if they would like a single room]

· All breakfasts, lunches and 2 dinners

· 2 excursions/field trips

· Curriculum and materials

· Certificate of completion 

 *Educators who complete the workshop will be required to design and facilitate one professional development session on their own within the 2024-2025 school year. More information will be given to those who are accepted.

 Applications:

Applications will be accepted November 27, 2023-January 29, 2024

We Can Do It: American Women Experiences During World War II

Dates: July 7-13, 2024

During World War II, over 350,000 American women volunteered for military service and millions more contributed to the war effort on the Home Front.

We Can Do It: American Women Experiences During World War II is designed for educators with established knowledge of World War II who are looking to deepen their understanding of the war to enhance their classroom instruction. During this workshop, teachers will learn about the many and diverse stories of women at war, their legacy today, and how to incorporate this history when teaching World War II. Accepted applicants will have the opportunity to explore the Museum’s permanent and special exhibits, learn about the Museum’s curriculum, and connect with teachers from around the nation. Learning from historians, educators, and Museum staff, teachers will gain effective teaching strategies to help students better understand women’s roles during World War II, the challenges they faced and overcame, how to analyze primary sources, and the meaning of this history for today.

Educators will receive:

· Arranged airfare OR a reimbursement for travel if within driving distance

· Transportation from and to the New Orleans airport if flying or paid parking if driving

· Double-occupancy rooming at The Higgins Hotel (across the street from the Museum) [*It is possible to pay for educators to pay for half if they would like a single room]

· All breakfasts, lunches and 2 dinners

· 2 excursions/field trips

· Curriculum and materials

· Certificate of completion 

 *Educators who complete the workshop will be required to design and facilitate one professional development session on their own within the 2024-2025 school year. More information will be given to those who are accepted.

 Applications:

Applications will be accepted November 27, 2023-January 29, 2024

STEM Innovations Summer Teacher Workshop 2024

K–12 educators are invited to apply to attend our 2024 STEM Innovations Summer Teacher Workshop. Classroom teachers, building master teachers, curriculum specialists, and administrators are welcome!

Topic:
World War II, Women, and STEM

Dates:
July 14–20, 2024

Objectives:
By the end of this week, educators will have a deeper understanding of World War II and will be able to implement the use of the STEM Innovations Curriculum (Little Engineers, Real World Science, and STEM Corps Live!) into their own classrooms. This includes learning about the role women played in STEM during the war.

Additionally, educators will gain pedagogical tools and strategies to not only strengthen their teaching of STEM subjects but also to integrate literacy practices and social studies into science investigations with students.

Details:
Educators will spend time in whole groups sessions as well as in cohorts based on the grade band in which they teach (Little Engineers K–4, Real World Science 5–8, STEM Corps Live! 9–12). There will be time to explore the Museum’s galleries as well as field trips to support STEM/WWII learning. Free time can be spent exploring the great city of New Orleans.

Educators will receive:

• Arranged airfare OR a reimbursement for travel if within driving distance
• Transportation from and to the airport if flying/paid parking if driving
• Double-occupancy rooming at The Higgins Hotel (across the street from the Museum) [It is possible to pay for educators to pay for half if they would like a single room]
• All breakfasts, lunches, and two dinners
• Two excursions/field trips
• Curriculum, books, and all materials

As a part of its Louisiana History Day program, the Museum hosts a variety of virtual and in-person professional development options for educators.

6-12 Educators are invited to apply to our 2024 Louisiana History Day Summer Teacher Workshop. Classroom teachers, master teachers, curriculum specialists, and administrators are welcome. 

Dates:

July 25-29, 2024 

The participants will hear from experienced Louisiana History Day (LHD) teachers, explore the 2025 theme, and learn about the logistics of supporting their students in LHD. The workshop will focus on how to use the framework of National History Day to incorporate project-based learning in classrooms. To culminate the workshop educators will make their own mini history day projects focused on WWII topics.  

Additionally, educators will gain pedagogical tools and strategies to strengthen their teaching of research, primary source investigation, student-driven inquiry.

Details:

Educators will spend time in whole group sessions as well as in independent work time. There will be time to explore the Museum’s galleries as well as field trips to support learning. Free time is welcomed to be spent exploring the great city of New Orleans

Educators will receive:

· Reimbursement for mileage

· Paid parking 

· Double-occupancy rooming at The Higgins Hotel (across the street from the Museum)

· All breakfasts, lunches, and two dinners 

· 2 excursions/field trips

For more information, email

historyday@nationalww2museum.org

Applications will be accepted November 27, 2023-January 29, 2024

Scholarships (at a value of $1,840) are available for current Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior High School students for the 2024 Student Leadership Academy.
*All scholarships are non-credit. However, students may select a college credit option through Nicholls State University for a fee to be covered by the student. More information pertaining to the college credit will be available at a later date.


JUNE 17-22, 2024
Student Leadership Academy is the Museum's premier leadership training program for high school students. The Academy's sessions utilizes the Museum's oral history collection, public exhibits, in-person interviews with WWII and Iraqi Freedom veterans, and guest scholars and Museum leaders.
The scholarship covers travel to and from New Orleans, hotel accommodations at the Higgins Hotel, all meals, ground transportation and admission to other museums/historic sites.