AMERICANISM
Our vision is that the youth of is great nation will grow to have a better understanding and appreciation for what it means to be an American
To rekindle our youth's understanding and regard for America, the Grand Lodge Fraternal Committee holds an Americanism Essay Contest annually for fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students.
A new essay theme is selected each year. It's objective is to provide our youth with the opportunity to learn and write about this great nation and what it means to be an American and it's importance to every citizen.
To accomplish this all of the lodges within our state package and distribute the Americanism Essay at the beginning of the new school year. The deadline for submitting the essays back to your Local Lodge is December 15th. All essays then go through the judging process at your Local Lodge. The winning essays from each grade are sent on to the state to be judged with other state winners. The winners for the state then go on to the national contest.
At each phase of the contest the students writing the winning essay are given an award and recognition for their accomplishment. At the national level the Grand Lodge will award $1,000 to the first-place winners in each age division, $500 to second place, and $250 to third place. Winners are announced at the Grand Lodge Session in the summer.
Contest details can be found at elks.org/grandlodge/fraternal/files/americanismEssayContest.pdf.