The English

department at Booth has turned the contest into an actual assignment for

all English classes. After students write their essays, English teachers

will select one essay from each of their classes.

The winning

essays from each class, estimated to be about 60, will be sent to the

Peachtree City Rotary Club for judgment next Wednesday, March 14.

The Rotary

Club has agreed to help the school sponsor the contest by providing cash

prizes for the winners at each grade level as well as hosting a luncheon

for the students. The winning essays will be copied and bound for distribution

among teachers, students, Rotarians and local newspapers for publication.

This is a pilot

program for both Booth and the Rotary Club.

"We have

great support from our local Rotary Club," says Sharlene Patterson,

seventh grade teacher and coordinator of the contest at Booth. "We

knew that we wanted to be involved in this contest, but we needed a way

to fund it. The Rotary Club agreed to step in and help us."

The Rotary

Club will award $150 to the first place winner, second $100 and third

$50.

Booth Principal

Lyn Wenzel says implementing the contest is benefiting the school on two

levels.

"This

contest is helping to boost our character education program that is already

in place as well as strengthen our school and community relations,"

explains Winzel.

Patterson says

that Booth would like to see other schools in the county become involved

in the contest next year and partner with their local Rotary Clubs for

sponsorship. She emphasizes that the contest encourages reflection and

is a key component in a student's character education program.

"This

is such a great contest. It really encourages students to think about

the ideals that mean the most to them. I would like to see all of our

schools become involved so that we could have a county-wide contest,"

says Patterson.