WHAT IS THE SAR MIDDLE SCHOOL BROCHURE CONTEST?
The SAR Middle School Contest is to create a tri-fold brochure out of a typical 8 ½” x 11″ piece of paper. The brochure must conform to the contest theme, which is one of the five foundational documents of the United States – that you select. The brochure will be judged on: Content, Creativity, and Correctness. The judging criteria rates the highest personally drawn artwork and text authored by the student as opposed to cut and paste from books, magazines, and the Internet. The use of software tools by the student for creating the brochure, and even the artwork, is permissible.
LOCAL, STATE, and NATIONAL PRIZES:
Local Chapter and State prizes vary by Local Chapter. Click here to find your New Jersey Chapter. National prize awards are established each year. It is the intent of the NSSAR and the Americanism Committee to increase our cash prizes to approach some level of parity with other national contest cash prizes for this age group. The ‘official’ name of the contest, and in whose name the award will be made, is the Sgt. Moses Adams Memorial Middle School Brochure Contest.
HOW DOES THE CONTEST WORK?
The contest consists of three levels. The first level is sponsored by the local SAR Chapter. Chapter winners advance to the State level. The first-place State winner then advanced into the SAR national competition to compete for the national prizes. All entries begin at the local Chapter level. The only exception is where schools/classes/youth groups wish to conduct their own competition, submitting one winner to the local SAR Chapter competition. Individual students do not submit their entry directly to the Chapter. All entries must go through a school, scouting organization, or Children of the American Revolution Society (CAR). Even home school submissions should go through their association. The participating Chapter should be within the local area of the young person entering the contest.
WHO CAN ENTER?
The SAR Brochure Contest is open to all 6th, 7thand 8th grade Middle School students in public, private and home schools. When school systems are participating in the contest, students will enter through their school system. If they are not participating, students may enter directly to the local SAR chapter (Click here), through scouting or the Children of the American Revolution Society (CAR). Regardless of how the student enters, he/she may only enter one brochure per year. All brochures will be created by the individual student, no group entries are allowed. The contest is designed to help support the educational efforts in public, private and home school curriculums when the Revolutionary period is taught, but students may enter in any of their middle school years.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Ask your teacher, or Children of the American Revolution Society (CAR), or scouting adult leader to supervise the SAR Brochure Contest.
Ask them to Contact a local SAR chapter within your local area for deadlines and guidelines.
Make sure you conform to the guidelines and rules of the contest provided by SAR (below).
Deadlines vary among Chapters – Make sure that your teacher, or adult leader, learns the appropriate deadline for your local SAR Chapter.
DEADLINE INFORMATION:
To qualify, all entries must be submitted within the deadlines. Deadlines vary among Chapters – Make sure that your teacher, or adult leader, learns the appropriate deadline for your local SAR chapter. Do not be confused with deadlines you might see on the Internet when Chapters have to submit their Winning entry to the State Competition or the deadline the State has for submitting the State Winning entry to the National Competition. Know your local SAR chapter’s deadline.
HOW WILL I BE JUDGED?
You will be judged on how well you understand, develop and present the specific foundational document you selected to be your brochure’s theme. Brochures will be judged at the National level focusing on the following three categories: Content; Creativity & Correctness. Authorship and Use of Technology: The judging criteria rate highest personally drawn artwork and authored text by the student as opposed to cut and paste from books, magazines, and off the Internet – through use of material from books, magazines, and the Internet does not disqualify an entry, it is just valued less during judging. The use of software tools by the student for creating the brochure, and even the artwork, is permissible.
WHAT IS THE THEME?
The SAR Brochure Contest theme is the same every year – it does not change yearly. Choose from any of the six (6) Foundational Documents of the United States as the theme for your brochure:
Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
Federalist Papers
Articles of Association of 1774
WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES and RULES?
There are two sets of guidelines and rules:
#1 How to Construct the Brochure; and
#2 How to display and arrange the Content within the Brochure.
#1 CONSTRUCTION INSTRUCTIONS:
Brochure Construction: Created by a student – Not by a group.
Brochure Theme: Choose from any of the six (6) Foundational Documents of the United States as the theme for your brochure: Articles of Confederation; Declaration of Independence; U.S. Constitution; Bill of Rights; or Federalist Papers.
Brochure Size: The brochures should be made from a single 8 ½” x 11″ piece of paper. The paper should be folded according to the instructions provided for the contest. The content of the various panels of the brochure should align with the instructions provided.
Paper thickness & Color: Any common paper so long as the final product can be folded closed as a tri-fold 8 ½” x 11″ brochure. White paper is most common, but pastel, or color paper is acceptable.
Artwork: Ideas are the most important element in these brochures and the art is merely a means of conveying those ideas. All artwork on brochures that is personally drawn is highly valued, which would include artwork created by the young person using software. Tracing is also acceptable, and simple drawings that represent complex concepts are encouraged for those who may doubt their artistic skills.
Pasting: Pasting of personally drawn art work onto a master is permitted. Do not paste pictures from magazines, books, or off the Internet, or make extensive use of clip art.
Text: The written text is commonly hand printed. Typed text sections (even pasted on) are also permitted. [CAUTION: This needs to be original text written by the student – not clipped from magazines, books or taken off the Internet.] 8. Identification: See below ‘SAR Brochure Panels Explained’. Make special note that the student’s name and school on the Back Panel of the brochure is covered by a 3″x 3″ Post-It® note throughout all judging at the Chapter, State and National level.
Brochure entries may be disqualified for these reasons: (a) did not adhere to the Americanism Theme; (b) is not 8 ½” x 11″ in size; (c) is not a tri-folded brochure (cannot be folded).
Judging: Brochures will be judged focusing on the following elements: a. Content b. Creativity c. Correctness
PRIZES INCLUDE: Awards and Cash! Prizes & Awards for local contests vary by SAR Chapter and by State. The National Cash Prizes are set each year before the NSSAR Annual Congress. The “SAR Brochure Contest Rules-at-a-Glance” contains the most current list of prizes.
#2 CONTENT INSTRUCTIONS:
Fold a single 8 ½” x 11″ piece of paper into three equal size panels – a Tri-Fold: There will be six panels counting inside and outside. The following is an explanation of what each panel of the brochure should contain:
a. Cover: A title and a picture.
b. Inside Cover: Picture to accompany the introduction. May also contain a brief caption or explanation of the picture.
c. First inside panel when Cover is opened (while folded): An introduction that presents the basic facts of the event and succinctly states the main idea presented in the interior of the brochure. The introduction should have a title, be written in paragraph form, and clearly communicate the overarching concept of the brochure.
d. Two inner panels: A detailed explanation of the ideas of the student around the theme. This written explanation should provide a systematic argument persuading the reader to the point of view of the author; that is, it should be a persuasive essay. The writing should be clear, well organized, and convincing. These panels may also contain pictures and/or artwork that make the brochure more aesthetically appealing. Some questions that may be helpful for the students to consider when completing these panels would include:
i. What are the lessons for our country within this document? ii. How does this document reflect American society and American values?
iii. What thoughts do you have regarding the sacrifices made by the participants who drafted this document?
iv. What was the outcome of this document and how did this outcome impact American history?
v. What motivated the participants to be a part of creating this document?
vi. Could you have been a participant in creating this document?
e. Back Panel: The following information needs to be included in the exact order specified on the back panel of the brochure inside a 2 ½” x 2 ½” framed box. Failure to include this information, and to contain all the information in the 2 ½” x 2 ½” framed box, can result in a lower ranking during the competition.
i. Student’s Name: First, Middle Initial, and Last
ii. School District iii. School Name: school name; or Children of the American Revolution Society (CAR); or Scouting Troop
iv. Grade in School: (in California – 8th Grade) + School Year: 20xx-yy v. Student’s Teacher’s/Adult Leaders Name:
vi. SAR Code: (provide to teacher): e.g. TX for Texas + SAR Chapter name
[NOTE 1: When a Brochure is submitted from another source, other than a school, e.g. Children of the American Revolution Society (CAR) Society, or home-schooled child, reflect that in the info block.] [NOTE 2: SAR will conceal the above personal information throughout the judging process using a 3″x 3″ Post-It® note.]
WHO WAS SGT. MOSES ADAMS?
A Soldier of the American Revolution November 30, 1748 – June 13, 1778. In 2011 the Sons of the American Revolution [SAR] named one of its National Youth Programs “The Sgt. Moses Adams Memorial Middle School Brochure Contest,” honoring a representative Soldier of the American Revolution who made the ultimate sacrifice. Moses Adams of New Marlborough, Massachusetts, joined with his brothers and neighbors and marched with their Minute Man Company in response to the Alarm of Lexington and Concord April 21, 1775. He then joined the Continental Army and rose to Sergeant in the 13th Massachusetts Line. He died at Valley Forge on June 13, 1778. The SAR dedicates its annual middle school program as a living memorial to honor the thousands of men and women who, like Sgt. Adams, gave their lives for the cause of freedom and their families who suffered their loss for generations.
DOWNLOADS (click on each button to download official flyer)