Education and Contests

The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) believe that our future belongs to our youth of today. This is why Education is one of SARs primary goals. As such, a variety of contests, awards, and recognition programs exists that target school age children in elementary, middle, and high school as well as such organizations as the Boy and Girls Scouts and the JROTC and ROTC. Some of the most notable are...

Americanism Elementary School Poster Contest
Sgt. Moses Adams Middle School Brochure Contest
Arthur M. & Berdena King Eagle Scout Contest
George S. and Stella M. Knight High School Essay Contest
Rumbaugh Oration Contest
JROTC / ROTC Recognition
Dr. Tom & Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award

Details for these programs are listed below.

For questions and general inquiries email:

EContests@cahabacoosasar.org

All contests will also also be judged on the Chapter level before going to State. Chapter ribbons and certificates will be given to winners on the Chapter level.

Deadline for submision of entries is November 1st.

Click Here for our PDF Brochure for the Education Contests

Americanism Elementary School Poster Contest

Directed to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students to align when American Revolution is taught, this contest is also open to Cub Scouts and Brownies with entries going through the local schools. Topics for the posters alternate between "Revolutionary War Person(s)" and "Revolutionary War Event(s)". Typically Person(s) are done on school years beginning with odd numbered years and Event(s) on even numbered years.

State prize money is $200 for 1st, $150 for 2nd, and $100 for third. National awards are $400 1st, $300 2nd, and $200 3rd.

For more information go to...

Sgt. Moses Adams Middle School Brochure Contest

This program for middle school (6th, 7th, 8th, and/or 9th ninth grade typically) age students, when American Revolution is taught, is also open to Boys and Girl Scouts through school entry. Students should choose to focus on one of the following foundational documents:

Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
Constitution
Federalist Papers
Bill of Rights

State winners receive $300 for 1st, $200 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd. National awards are $600 1st, $400 2nd, and $200 3rd.

Complete guide can be found HERE.

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Rumbaugh Oration Contest

For high school (Grades 9th - 12th), the Rumbaugh Oration contest challenges students to write and present a speech with the topic to deal with an event, personality, or document pertaining to the Revolutionary War and its relationship to today.. Oration should be at least five (5) minutes in length but no longer than six (6) minutes. No props are allowed.

Prize money for the state level is $1,000 for 1st, $750 for 2nd, and $500 for 3rd. State winners are qualified to compete in the national competition with awards for $6,000 for 1st, $4,000 for 2nd, $2,000 for 3rd, $500 for 4th-6th, and all other contestants receive $200, as well as reimbursable travel expenses.

Click HERE FOR A SAMPLE VIDEO

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George S. and Stella M. Knight High School Essay Contest

For those high school (9th through 12th grade) students who are talented with prose, there is the George S. and Stella M. Knight High School Essay Contest. Essays submitted must be 800 to 1200 words, be original, and cover an event, person, philosophy or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or framing of the Constitution.

For this contest on the state level, $500 and a medallion go to the 1st place winner, $250 and a certificate for 2nd place, and $150 and a certificate for 3rd. National award amounts are $5,000 1st, $2,500 2nd, and $1,000 1st place.

Detailed rules can be found HERE.

Get your application HERE.

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A Montevallo High School Senior student, Emily “Jasper” Pennington, recently discovered how hard work and resolve pay off. She was presented with an Olympic-sized medal and not just one but two checks for winning the local chapter and state, Alabama Society Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest at the University of Montevallo’s Upward Bound / TRIO program Monday night, March 4, 2024. Pennington‘s essay, titled “Deborah Sampson, The Determined Soldier”, will now qualify her to compete nationally, where she could win as much as $6,000 and an expense-paid trip to the SAR National Congress in Lancaster, Pennsylvania this summer. When asked about the award, Pennington said, “I was shocked and amazed”.

Pictured here are the members of the local, Cahaba-Coosa Chapter SAR, and being presented the awards by Michael Martin, who teaches for Upward Bound, at Montevallo High, and was recently awarded the state Dr. Tom & Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award, as well as being nominated for consideration of The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History National History Teacher of the Year award. Mr. Martin said, “Pennington has always been a pleasure to teach. She heard about SAR education contests several years ago and is as determined as Deborah Sampson. With youth like her, the future for our country is very bright.” The Sons of the American Revolution has youth contests for elementary, middle and high school students and for more information go to https://alssar.org/youth-programs

Congratulations to Megan Boyle for receiving an award for her essay on Colonial America at the Alabama History Day program! Today she received her prize money and certificate from David Michael Martin (Benjamin Franklin) and Skip Dotherow and other representatives from the Sons of the American Revolution, General John Archer Elmore chapter.

Arthur M. & Berdena King Eagle Scout Contest

Open to all Eagle Scouts who are currently registered in an active unit and below age 19, three college scholarship awards are given for winning applicants. The state winners will receive $150 for third place, $300 for second place, and the first place winner will be given $750, a trophy, and qualify for national scholarship consideration. National winners can receive $10,000 for 1st, $6,000 for 2nd, and $4,000 for 3rd. State winners who also win national recognition are also eligible for limited reimbursed travel expenses to receive their awards at the SAR National Congress.

Applications consist of:

Two page application form
Four generation ancestor chart
A five-hundred (500) word Patriotic theme

Brochure and guide for application is found HERE

For more information, go here...

JROTC / ROTC Recognition

The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) award ROTC / JROTC Medals for those who who exemplify the principle of the "citizen-soldier" as demonstrated by the Minutemen of American Revolutionary War days. The founding of today’s ROTC Citizen-Soldier program was brought about in 1819 by Capt. Alden Partridge, former West Point Superintendent, whose own father, Pvt. Samuel Partridge Jr., fought at the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolution. The award recipient(s) is selected by the Commanding Officer of the JROTC / ROTC unit and coordinated with the local SAR chapter.

State prizes are $600 1st, $250 2nd, and $150 3rd. National awards are $5,000 1st, $2,000 2nd, $1,000 3rd, and $250 for 4th and 5th.

Detailed information along with manuals, procedures, nomination form, and PowerPoint presentation about the program can be found at...

Dr. Tom & Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award

The American History Teacher Award recognizes educators who distinguish themselves in teaching the history of the American Revolution. Winner receives a professional educational opportunity. Winners receive $5,000 (includes up to $3,000 to attend teacher seminars, $500 cash, $500 for classroom, and up to $1,000 reimbursed for travel). State winners receive $1,000.

For more information, go to...

Congratulations to Micahel Martin, 2024 President of the Alabama State Society of SAR and member of the Cahaba-Coosa Chapter, who recently won the Dr. Tom & Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award. This is a national award and he is only the second teacher from Alabama to win this highly respected national award that recognizes excellence in teaching American History. He will be recognized for this award in July at the National SAR Congress in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.