Prize Winners:

1st Place – $1500: – Juliana Grant, pdf: “The Matriarch of Groton” – audio:

2nd Place – $1000: – Declan Lowney, pdf: “The Significance of the Old Groton Meeting House“

3rd Place – $500: – Regan Flynn, pdf: “A Symbol of Our Community“

See Juliana Grant’s prize-winning essay in the June 3rd edition of the Groton Herald. And, come see Juliana ring the Meeting House bell on July 4th!

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Topic: What is the significance of the iconic Old Groton Meeting House to the identity of our town and why does this building deserve preservation for future generations?

Eligibility: Seniors at GDRHS and Senior level homeschoolers

Deadline: Submit your essay by April 19, 2021

Prizes: Winners will be announced on May 27, 2021, at Senior Awards Night

• $1500 – First Prize
  • Ring the Meeting House bell on July 4th, 2021!
  • Winning essay will be published in the Groton Herald!
• $1000 – Second Prize
• $500 – Third Prize

Format:

• An original essay in 500-700 words with body of text and citations in MLA formatting style.
• Send pdf file to essay@oldgrotonmeetinghouse.org

Essays evaluated by points awarded, up to 100:

• Strong Thesis Statement: position on topic is clearly stated – 20 points
• Evidence and Arguments: builds case logically and clearly, holds reader’s attention – 30 points
• Conclusion: summarize thesis/position and its importance – 15 points
• Creativity: original ideas, shows imagination and strong voice – 20 points
• Writing Mechanics: proofread for grammar, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation – 15 points

Judges:

• Deborah E. Johnson – Groton Herald Editor
• Jason Kauppi – Town Moderator
• Lynne Bover – Social Studies Department Chair, Acton Boxborough Junior High School (Retired)

Resources, located at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/stddgq41vyflb1h/Meetinghouse%20Essay%20Contest%20Resources.zip?dl=0

• Timeline of the Meeting House (4 PDF files) by Michael Roberts
• History of the Meeting House by David Gordon and Laura Moore
• Essay about the Meeting House by Michael Roberts
• Document about important people associated with the Meeting House
• Document about Courts held in the Meeting House, late 18th Century
• Script for the “Declaring Independence” performance at the Meeting House – TBA
• Script for the “Patriot’s Path” performance at the Meeting House – 2019

Additional Resources:

• MA Historical Commission – https://mhc-macris.net/
• Video of Patriots Path – https://vimeo.com/330338888
• The mission of the Old Groton Meeting House Preservation Fund – oldgrotonmeetinghouse.org

Sponsored By:

Good Luck!