2024-2025 Student Writing Contest

Fighting for the Right to Fight

Topic Overview

In the years before World War II, African Americans in many parts of the country, especially the South, were treated as second-class citizens. Discriminatory practices were condoned by the government, and African Americans were systematically denied many rights and liberties by laws that kept them in positions of inferiority. Due to the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision in 1896, the United States was a nation where “separate but equal” was law in many states. In addition, many military leaders declared African Americans unfit to serve in combat. However, once the war began, thousands rushed to enlist, determined to fight for freedom, while still being denied equality at home. More than 1 million black servicemembers would take part in World War II, and many more thousands worked in war industries at home. 

In January 1942 James G. Thompson, a twenty-six-year-old African American from Wichita, Kansas, wrote

to the black-owned Pittsburgh Courier to express his feelings about World War II. In a note above Thompson’s

letter, the newspaper’s editor wrote: “A young man, confused and befuddled by all of this double

talk about democracy and the defense of our way of life, is asking, like other young Negroes, some very

pertinent questions. We reprint this letter in full because it is symbolic.”

Writing Prompt

Write a letter to James G. Thompson. Using your knowledge of that time period and the lack of rights and freedoms for African Americans and other minorities as well as your knowledge of rights, freedoms and equality today, you must:

· Discuss your feelings about the status of rights and freedoms in the United States from 1945 to the present day

· Describe what progress has been made

· Speculate on if you feel he would be proud of the state of equality in our country today

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 28, 2024 and the deadline to submit is February 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM (CST).

· Students must submit a typed letter of no more than 250 words but a minimum of 175 words. 

· The letter must be three to five paragraphs and include a date, greeting, closing and signature (A Concerned Student – NOT the student’s name). It should NOT include a heading (address). It should be double spaced and be in 12-point font (Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman.)

· It should be uploaded as a PDF. 

· At the top right corner, students must include their unique code- first two letters of their first name, first two letters of their last name, grade (number), state abbreviation (two letters) and last 4 numbers of their cell phone number. (Example- 10th grade student Jane Doe from Louisiana – code = JaDo10LA1234)

· Letters must be the original work of the student. Students should not use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.

All entries must be submitted by 11:59pm (CST) on February 14, 2025 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 Student Writing Contest are final. Winners will be notified by email by February 28, 2025. The winners will be posted on The National WWII Museum’s website and will also receive a certificate in March 2025. Awards will be sent via direct deposit during the Spring of 2025.

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 names, photographs and entries 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.

The NPS World War II Heritage Cities program recognizes the historic importance of the United States’ involvement in World War II. The Secretary of the Interior may designate up to one city (jurisdiction) from each state and territory as an American World War II Heritage City. More information about the program is located here: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/worldwarii/americanheritagecity.htm

Grantees must be within a designated NPS American World War II Heritage City in order to receive funding under this grant. 

The Notice of Funding Opportunity is here: NOFO American WWII Heritage Cities WWII Museum_final 1.16.25.pdf

The one page version of the NOFO is here: one pager NOFO.pdf

Budget form: WWII Heritage Cities BUDGET FORM.xlsx

This application is for students that are applying to the High School Normandy Academy programs. There will be two trips offered in 2025: 

• High School 1 - June 25th - July 5th
• High School 2 - July 1st - July 11th 

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 the Normandy campaign.  Following the New Orleans experience, students will continue to Normandy for the most immersive and in-depth program on the same ground where the battle for Normandy took place in the summer of 1944. 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 in the tuition for the program which totals $5795.00.

REQUIREMENTS: 

It is imperative that students and parents adhere to the following:

1. We require students who are interested in history and WWII and are not only looking for a free trip to France or just to have fun. The fun is inherently built into this trip so there is no need to worry that students won't have fun; however, the goal is for students to learn about D-Day and the Battle of Normandy and the sacrifices made by Americans and other Allied forces. Students who are not interested in history and who are only looking for fun will not enjoy the trip as much as we want student to and that could cause problems that will not be accepted.
2. We require students to be mature enough to travel with adults who are not their parents or own teachers. This means that they should be willing and able to follow all rules and regulations that will be discussed with them and their parents prior to the trip as well as follow all directions the first time they are given.

Additionally:

If in high school, students must be at least 16 years old and be a rising junior through graduating senior.

You will be notified by the end of February if you have been accepted.

Students and parents will be required to complete paperwork pertaining to rules, guidelines, health information, etc. that will be sent via email after this application has been submitted.

Parents will be sent an invoice from the Museum's Finance Department. Payments can be made in full or in 2 installments in  March and May by check or credit card. If payments are not made in full by May 31st, the student will not be allowed to attend.

As a Master Ambassador for the National World War II Museum, ambassadors will come to the museum for a specialized on-site three-day training and will work alongside the Assistant Director of Teacher Programs and the Teacher Outreach Specialist to meet about the program's objectives and needs of the professional developments and outreach that ambassadors will do on the museum's behalf. 

These trained ambassadors will be expected to lead a minimum of two professional developments annually and will be contracted for a two-year period. Those selected for this opportunity will travel to conduct professional developments and outreach at state and national conferences and school districts in their surrounding region.  Travel, lodging, per diem and a stipend for each completed outreach will be provided. 

Training Dates: October 10-13, 2025

Master Ambassadors will receive paid travel to New Orleans, lodging at the Higgins Hotel, and 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches during their on-site training. 

This opportunity is only available to teachers who have participated in one of the Museum's Summer Teacher Workshops.

Please complete this application to indicate your interest in being a chaperone for the 2025 Normandy Academy program. Program staff will review the applications and hold interviews via Zoom for selected applicants. High School educators especially encouraged to apply. 

While on the trip chaperones will be expected to: 

• Attend all sessions listed in itinerary
• Supervise students and assist as needed while touring 
• Assist with any issues that may arise with students, especially related to social/emotional needs
• Conduct nightly room checks (High School trips only)
• Be on-call 24/7 for the duration of the trip

If you have any questions about the chaperone experience or the application process please reach out to Kelly Goodner, Assistant Director of Student Programs: kelly.goodner@nationalww2museum.org . 

The Billy Michal Student Leadership Award is presented annually to one student from each state and the District of Columbia who embodies the American spirit in his or her community. The values of leadership, teamwork, tolerance, creativity, and perseverance can and should be learned and lived by all Americans, regardless of age. 

The 51 selected student leadership award winners will travel to New Orleans on June 5th-8th, 2025, along with a parent or chaperone, all expenses paid, to attend the 2025 American Spirit Awards, where they will represent their state at the event. Students will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Museum, participate in leadership activities with their cohort and attend an awards ceremony to honor their accomplishments. 

Nomination criteria:

· Nominees must be in grades 8–12.

· Only individual students can be nominated, not groups.

· Students cannot be nominated by a family member.

· Students must 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 January 29, 2025.

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.