Gallaudet’s National Essay, Art, and ASL Contest awards cash prizes, scholarships to deaf and hard of hearing students ages 9-19

By Susan M. Flanigan

Each year the Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and ASL Contest for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, co-sponsored by the Clerc Center and the University, challenges students to create original work focused on an established theme. Members of the Gallaudet community are asked to share the word about this popular contest—which drew a record-breaking 645 entries last year—and encourage students to enter.

When President Barrack Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in March, he called on every citizen to make a commitment to service. In honoring this call to service, the theme of the 2010 contest, “Helping Others: How I Can Make a Difference in My Community,” is focused on students sharing new or ongoing community service initiatives. Many students may already be involved in service activities at school or in their home communities. To explore additional options, the Corporation for National and Community Service manages a new website, www.service.gov, where students and other individuals can find out about exciting volunteering opportunities in their communities.

The contest deadline is February 5. Students can enter their work in one of two age groups, 9-14 or 15-19. Winners in the 9-14 category will receive cash prizes. Winners in the 15-19 category will receive scholarship money for the college or postsecondary program of their choice. (Each winner’s scholarship money will be doubled if he or she applies to, is accepted to, and decides to attend Gallaudet).

Winning entries and a full list of all participants will be published in the Clerc Center’s contest publication, Celebrate!, which is made available in print and online.

To view the 2009 winning entries, and for information on the rules and an entry form for the 2010 contest, see Celebrate! at ccdam.gallaudet.edu/pdf/20090513-0001.pdf.