Student essay contest under way

Local leaders from across Massachusetts will be heading back to school to encourage sixth graders to participate in the MMA’s annual Sixth Grade Essay Contest.

Nearly 90 communities will be taking part in the contest, now in its sixth year.

Participating sixth graders will be describing what they would do as an elected leader of their city or town to make it a better place to live. The essay contest encourages the future leaders of the state to reflect on the role of key elected officials and municipal activities.

Municipal associations across America report that essay contest participation is greater in communities where local officials have been in direct contact with schools.

Winners will be chosen by a panel of local officials and will be presented with awards at the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show on Jan. 20.

Essay contest criteria
• The contest is open to any sixth grade public school student in a participating community.

• Essays must all begin with the statement, “If I were elected leader of my community I would make a difference by …”

• Essays must be neatly printed or typed and cannot exceed 300 words.

• Entries are limited to one per student.

• Submissions must include the official entry form (below).

• Submissions are to be mailed to: MMA, 1 Winthrop Square, Boston, MA 02110.

• Essays must be received by the MMA no later than 5 p.m. on Dec. 2.

For more information, contact Amanda Lorenti or Katelyn O’Brien at the MMA.

• Essay contest flyer (PDF)
• Essay contest prizes (PDF)
• Essay contest entry form (PDF)
• Essay contest study guide (Word)
• Essay contest teacher guide (Word)

Participating Communities

Acushnet
Agawam
Alford
Aquinnah
Ashfield
Becket
Bedford
Beverly
Boston
Braintree
Brewster
Chilmark
Colrain
Cummington
Dalton
Dennis
Dighton
Dunstable
East Brookfield
Eastham
Easthampton
Egremont
Essex
Gill
Groton
Hamilton
Hanson
Hingham
Hinsdale
Holden
Huntington
Leverett
Lowell
Lynn
Malden
Marblehead
Mashpee
Montague
Monterey
Natick
Needham
New Bedford
Newbuyport
New Malborough
Norfolk
North Adams
North Reading
Norwood
Orleans
Orange
Palmer
Paxton
Peru
Petersham
Plainfield
Princeton
Provincetown
Reading
Rockland
Rutland
Salisbury
Sandwich
Sheffield
Spencer
Sterling
Stoneham
Sturbridge
Sunderland
Uxbridge
Wakefield
Wareham
Warren
Washington
Wellfleet
Wenham
Westborough
West Brookfield
Westford
Westhampton
West Newbury
West Springfield
West Tisbury
Weymouth
Whitman
Wilmington
Windsor
Yarmouth