IRVINGTON—The Richard Henry Lee (RHL) chapter of the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (VASSAR) recently announced the winner of its 2016 essay contest is Katie Gibson of Church View.
A senior at West Point High School, Gibson will represent RHL in the VASSAR contest in February in Richmond. The winner of the VASSAR contest will represent Virginia in the National SSAR (NSSAR) contest this summer in Houston, reported RHL president Donald G. Smith.
There are 27 SAR chapters in Virginia and a chapter may submit only one entrant at the state level and a state may only make one entrant at the national level, said Smith. There is a monetary award for the winner of these contests. The chapter award is $300; state, $1,000; and national, $5,000.
Gibson drew extensively from Ron Chernov’s recent book, Hamilton, to write her essay concerning some of the major players in the revolution including Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Raymond Burr.
Other contests sponsored by the SAR at the chapter, state and national level include oration, Eagle Scout and JROTC contests for older children; for boys and girls in grades three through five there is a poster contest; and for grades six through nine, a brochure contest. All of these contests are open to public, private, parochial and home school students.
The poster and brochure contests are on-going into this March. For more information about these contests contact Smith, [email protected], or 435-0693; or visit sar.org.
The subject for all contests is primarily the American Revolution. This is in keeping in mind one of the principal goals of the Sons of the American Revolution is keeping that great event in the memory of citizens, said Smith.
