Park Announces History Contest

Date: February 28, 2017
Contact: Hollie Lynch, 301-491-0149

Hagerstown, MD - The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (C&O Canal) and the C&O Canal Trust invites local high school students to participate in an upcoming history contest. The contestants, through their research and submissions, will help park rangers to discover and share the C&O Canal’s diverse history. This year’s theme highlights African American and Women’s History on the C&O Canal. High school students from Maryland, DC, Virginia, and West Virginia are invited to submit a research paper or artistic illustration for the chance to win a scholarship. Students must be willing to have their research shared within the park and published on social media and the park’s website.
The research paper or artistic illustration must be original and unpublished. Various types of creative writing (for example, fictional diaries, poems, etc.) and artwork are permitted.
Contest submittals must be postmarked or emailed on or before April 15, 2017.  The student entries will be evaluated by a panel of park rangers and local educators. The contest winners for both categories will be announced May 3, 2017.
There will be a first, second, and third place winner for two categories. The amount of each scholarship is $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $150 for third place. The winners will be invited to make an oral presentation about the paper or artistic illustrations at the park.

For information and details on how to participate visit our website at www.nps.gov/choh/learn/education/students-making-history.htm or email us at e-mail us