Purpose
- To promote church-wide awareness of significant public policy issues by highlighting Mennonite and Brethren in Christ (BIC) youth perspectives
- To promote youth understanding of the relationship of faith to public policy
- To promote greater awareness of the work of MCC’s Washington Office and expand the base of Mennonite/BIC policy advocates
Guidelines
- Contest is open to all Mennonite and Brethren in Christ youth of high school age in private or public schools, and to all youth who attend Mennonite high schools.
- Immediate family members of current MCC staff or board members are not eligible for the contest.
- Essays should be 1,500 - 2,000 words in length, typewritten and double-spaced. Essays must be on one of the four listed topics.
- Each student may submit only one essay. Please keep an electronic copy of your essay.
- A list of resources is provided with each essay topic.
- Essays must be postmarked by November 30, 2007 and submitted to the nearest MCC U.S. regional office.
- Each region will submit the top three essays to the MCC Washington Office for selection of the winners.
- Prizes will be awarded as follows: 1st place essay $500; 2nd place $250 and 3rd place $100
- The MCC Washington Office will announce winners by February 8, 2008.
- Entries will be judged on content (demonstrated understanding of the issues), clarity (writing style) and creativity (imaginative and thoughtful policy positions).
- Portions of the winning essays will be published in the Washington Memo.
2007 Topics
- Sudan: How Should Christians Respond to Violent Conflict?
- Crime & Justice: Restorative Justice v. Retributive Justice: Should Christians Take a Side?
- Economic Justice & Immigration: How should Christians respond to U.S. trade policy in light of its direct connection with immigration to the United States?
- Faith & Politics: Faith, Values and Voting: Christians and the 2008 Elections
MCC Regional Offices
Entries must be postmarked by November 30, 2007 and submitted to nearest MCC office:
MCC Central States
121 East 30th Street
PO Box 235
North Newton, KS, 67117
(316) 283-2720
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2006 Essay Contest Winners
First Place
“Have Dominion Over the Earth”
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/first.html
Matt Thomas, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)
“God gave us these things to use. After the last tree is felled, Christ will come back.” James Watt made this famous statement regarding the use of natural resources. This Christian belief is erroneous and . . .
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Second PlaceThe Heavens Declare the Glory of God
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/second.html
Meg Kennell, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)
In the beginning, there was an endless void -- a ceaseless expanse of emptiness, a vacuum devoid of any living creature. And then God spoke. . . . But God took the risk of untying the puppet strings . . .
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Third Place (Tie)A Poverty Draft vs. Reinstatement of the Draft: Solving the Issue of Unjust Military Recruiting
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/thirda.html
Rachel Lanctot, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)
It is a common practice for Mennonites to view certain issues dealing with war or violence from a strictly pacifist mindset. . . . However, when it comes to specific issues . . .
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Immigration and the American Border Policy: A Christian Response
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/thirdb.html
Hannah Roth, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)
In an age when millions of people celebrate Diversity Day as a national holiday and recognize the March on Washington as an honorable moment in history, it seems incongruous that the growing number of immigrants to the United States continue to face animosity. Today, immigration is near the top . . .
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