ACCR Launces a New Project to Reach Out to High School Students

The ACCR Foundation has announced it has launched a new project that will inspire high school  students to create a multimedia project or write an essay supporting the rewriting of the Alabama Constitution. 

The Foundation will award a first prize of $500 and a second prize of $250 to each of the top essay and multimedia winners.  Winners will be recognized in the media and first –prize winners will present their work during the annual Bailey Thomson Awards Luncheon, which will be held at noon on Thursday, August 28, 2008, at the Mobile Convention Center with a telecast back to Harbert Center in Birmingham. 

The Education Contest’s inspiration was a student. Lewis Lehe, from Homewood High School who created film “It’s a Thick Book”, which ACCR Foundation has distributed widely to both citizens and schools.  This film is now available through the Alabama Public Television’s web site (www.APT.org/aptplus) under the “Alabama Teacher’s Resource” section.

The intended audience for this contest is high school students and ACCR would like Alabama League of Women Voters members to forward information about this to all Alabama high schools, teachers, and students who might be interested in the project.  The contest began January 31st and continues through March 14th.  The flyer announcing the contest is available to reprint for distribution from the Foundation’s web site at www.constitutionALreform.org. 

Alabama League of Women Voters’ dedication to the rewriting the 1901 Alabama Constitution has never wavered.  Let’s keep the project alive by passing this information along to those who might be inspired to get involved.  The best way to eventually achieve the goal of a new constitution is to educate today’s students about the shortcomings of the current document.

Further information about the project may be obtained from the ACCR Foundation web site at http://www.constitutionalreform.org/contest.shtml.

-- Scarlett Gaddy
LWVAL 1st VP & Voter Service Chair