Members of FRA (Fleet Reserve Association) Branch 98 invite all students in grades 7 through 12 to participate in the Association’s 2017–2018 Americanism Essay Contest. Participants are invited to submit a 350-word or less essay centered on this year’s theme:  “What Patriotism Means to Me. “

According to a press release, this national contest, sponsored by FRA to promote a spirit of patriotism among America’s youth, offers a Grand National Prize of $5,000, with other recognition in each grade category.

“Each entrant must be sponsored by an FRA member or branch,” explains Rodney Longstratt, Branch 98 President. “We’re proud to sponsor students, including those who are home-schooled, from the Ark-La-Tex area.”

Winners are selected at the branch level in each grade category, which are forwarded to compete in one of FRA’s eight regions.  Regional winners are then forwarded to the Association’s National Americanism Committee, where first-, second- and third-place winners are selected in each grade category.  The Grand National Winner is selected from this elite group of writers and receives a $5,000 cash award.

Essays must be legibly written or typed on one side of the paper and each entry must include a separate sheet stating the entrant’s name, address, telephone number, name of school (or “home schooled”) and grade, the number of words in the essay, and name of the sponsoring member or branch. Entry deadline is December 1, 2017.

To learn more about FRA’s Americanism Essay Contest, contact Emmett Smith at (318) 965-4571 or Lee A. Jeter, Sr. at  ljeter0511@yahoo.com go to www.fra.org.

About FRA 
FRA is a congressionally chartered, non-profit organization representing the interests of current and former enlisted members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. In addition to its advocacy work on Capitol Hill in support of enlisted personnel, FRA aids its members with career issues by maintaining close relationships with government agencies and by educating lawmakers about the challenges facing those who serve in the armed forces. The FRA Education Foundation also awards scholarships totaling $100,000 annually, sponsors a national essay contest, and assists its members with disaster relief grants.

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