21st Annual Bill of Rights
Art and Essay Contest, 2004-2005

for Students in Grades 7 through 12

The Monterey County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is pleased to announce that this year it will again sponsor the Bill of Rights Art and Essay Contests for students in grades 7 through 12.

Our topic is:

"Does reciting "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance at school violate the Constitution?

Please announce the Bill of Rights Art and Essay Contests to your teachers and students in grades 7 through 12.   We hope that you will encourage teachers and students to participate in the Art and Essay Contests.  It can be a worthwhile experience for all.   The subject should give students the opportunity to form and express their own opinions about a current issue of debate.

Email us at ACLUmontereycounty@redshift.com to obtain printed announcements to display in classrooms, hallways, and the school library or to invite a local ACLU Board member to talk to your classes about the subject matter of the Contests.

Contest details and background information on the law and opinions on both sides of each issue are available online at our website, www.ACLUmontereycounty.org.

The art and essay prizes for each division (high school and middle school) will be:

• $150 cash for each first prize
• $100 cash for each second prize
• $50 cash for each third prize
• Certificates of merit

Entries should be submitted to the ACLU by November 29, 2004, to

• Essays -- ACLU Monterey County, P.O. Box 1112, Pacific Grove, CA 93950.
• Artwork -- The Youth Arts Collective, 550 Hartnell Street, Monterey, CA 93940.

Winners of the contest will be presented with their prizes and works of art will be exhibited at the ACLU Annual Membership Meeting to be scheduled in January 2005 at the Monterey Library on Pacific Street in Monterey. Also, first prize essays will be read at the Meeting. Copies of the first prize essays and of the winning artwork will be available at this website.

Your support and assistance are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Bill of Rights Art and Essay Contests Chair,
Monterey County Chapter of the ACLU