State of the Union essay contest begins

VERMONT - Sen. Bernie Sanders has launched his 13th annual State of the Union essay contest.
Each year, the President of the United States delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, which outlines priorities for the coming year. Sanders knows that great ideas can come from anyone, not just those in power, which is why he created the State of the Union essay contest to encourage young people to engage in the political process. The contest is an opportunity for Vermont high school students to describe a major issue facing our country and propose what they would do to solve it.
The 250-to-500 word essays can be on any issue of national importance. A volunteer panel of Vermont teachers will judge the essays on the students’ ability to articulate an issue and propose a solution, without regard to the students’ political views. Following the contest, Sanders will enter the essays of the finalists into the congressional record, the official archive of the US Congress.
Over 5,300 students from high schools across Vermont have written essays in the past 12 years about critically important issues, including climate change, racial justice, access to mental health care, immigration reform, the state of democracy, and much, much more. Last year Sasha Lann from Brattleboro Union High School was selected as the winner from 409 submissions for their essay on voting rights.
The deadline for student essay submissions is Tuesday, January 10. More information can be found at www.sanders.senate.gov/stateoftheunion/ or by calling (800) 339-9834.