The Chestertown Essay Contest
- Chestertown History Weekend
Essay Contest Winners
- First Prize - Albin Kowalewski (PDF)
- Second Prize - John Bohrer (PDF)
- Third Prize - Kelly Biringer (PDF)
In 2006, Chestertown celebrates the 300th anniversary of its founding. To mark the occasion, the C.V. Starr Center is sponsoring a special weekend symposium devoted to Chestertown's history. The conference, on April 21-22, will bring together Washington College students, outside scholars, and the larger community to explore the unique past of this Eastern Shore town through lectures, exhibits, and other events. Topics covered will range from Chestertown's colonial and Revolutionary heritage to the present day; from race relations to archaeology and historic preservation. The keynote address will be delivered by Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The Starr Center invites students to submit papers for presentation at the symposium. These essays will be evaluated by a panel of outside judges, who will award prizes to the top submissions.
***Entries are due March 31, 2006 (please note that the deadline has been moved back by three weeks to allow more time for research).***
Essay Guidelines
- The Chestertown Essay Contest is open to any Washington College student who is enrolled full-time during the 2005-2006 academic year.
- Essays should be no longer than 3000 words in length, and may be submitted in hard copy or electronic format.
- All papers must be submitted to the C.V. Starr Center by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2006.
- Papers written for Washington College classes are eligible, as are those written expressly for the competition.
- Essays may address any topic related to the history of Chestertown and its surrounding area (Kent and Queen Anne's counties), from prehistory to the present. They will be judged on their relevance to the larger American story, for original or groundbreaking research, and for elegant and engaging writing. Potential entrants are encouraged to contact the Starr Center to discuss proposed topics.
- Selected entrants will be invited to present their work to the public at a Chestertown history symposium to be held on Saturday, April 22, 2006. That afternoon, the winners of the essay competition will also be announced and honored at a public event at the Prince Theatre.
- Judges will award a cash prize of $500 to the top essay, with $250 and $100 presented for the second and third place finishers. The top three papers will be featured on the C.V. Starr Center's web site, and will be considered for publication in the Washington College Magazine.
For more information, and to discuss possible topics, please contact Adam Goodheart, C.V. Starr Scholar, at agoodheart2@washcoll.edu.