Kansas Historical Society
TOPEKA–Kansans of all ages who love history will have the opportunity to celebrate their interest in several upcoming photography and essay contests.
The annual Kansas Factual Story Contest, sponsored by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas, encourages preserving factual, unpublished happenings and anecdotes from today and yesterday. The contest is open to everyone with one entry per person. Stories must be true and unpublished, take place in Kansas, and limited to 750 words. Entries are submitted electronically via email by 5 p.m. December 11, 2015, to Terry Marmet, Kansas Historical Foundation, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>. Submissions should use “Beech Memorial Contest” in the subject line, and include the author’s name, mailing address, and phone number, and email.
Olive Ann Beech, of Wichita, provided essay contest winners with cash awards for more than 30 years. Following her death, her daughter, Mary Lynn Oliver, Wichita, has continued this support. The Beech Memorial cash awards are: first place, $175; second place, $125; third place, $100; and $50 each for two honorable mentions. Entries will be judged on quality of writing and interesting anecdotal stories of Kansas.
The annual essay contest, /Kansas! Say It Above a Whisper, /sponsored by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas, is open to Kansas students in grades eight through 12. Essays are limited to 250 words and should celebrate and express pride in the state. Entries are submitted electronically via email by 5 p.m. December 11, 2015, to Terry Marmet, Kansas Historical Foundation, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>. Submissions should use “Boyd Essay Contest” in the subject line, and include the author’s name, school, grade, mailing address, and phone number.
Early day Kansas newspaperwoman Mamie Boyd coined the phrase used for the contest title. Her family continues to provide the cash award for the first place winner. Past essays have described interesting and strong-hearted Kansans, the state’s vast grain crops and grasslands, diversities in population, and the emotions and pride called to mind by the state’s unique beauty. Entries will be judged on quality of writing, originality, creativity, and sincerity in expressing pride in the state of Kansas.
Winners of both essay contests will be announced and recognized at the annual meeting of the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas Friday, January 29, 2016, in Topeka.
The Happy Birthday, Kansas! student photo contest is in its second year and open to Kansas students from first through 12th grade. The contest encourages students to capture images that depict everyday life in their communities. Students can submit up to five entries online, the contest deadline has been extended to December 11, 2015. Submit entries at happybirthdayks.org, where further information and contest rules are available. Winners will be announced as part of the state’s 155th birthday commemoration at the Kansas State Capitol on January 29, 2016. The 12 first place winner will receive iPads; the 12 second place winners will receive Kindles. The inaugural contest in 2014 drew more than 570 entries from 55 Kansas counties. Contest is sponsored by the Kansas legislative spouses in conjunction with the Kansas Historical Society.
The Kansas Historical Society will preserve the essays and photographs in their collections.