Knight Essay Contest Committee

The Knight Essay Contest Committee of the Virginia SAR has several functions:

  • Provide a central point of contact for anyone in the state interested in participating in the essay contest.

  • Provide resources and guidance to Virginia SAR chapters on recruiting contestants, running a local contest, and selecting the best candidate to enter in the state competition.

  • Accept chapter submissions, review and judge them, and submit the State winner to the National contest.

  • Coordinate travel for state winners that are chosen to participate in person at the SAR Annual Congress and support those participants as they represent Virginia.

 Committee Members

  • Richard M. Sherman (Chair) (George Washington)

8906 Montgomery Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(301) 654-6319
[email protected]

  • Randolph G. "Randy" Atkins (Fort Harrison)
  • Matthew P. Jones (George Washington)
  • Joseph T. Mertan, Jr. (George Mason)
  • Darrin M. Schmidt (Fairfax Resolves)

KNIGHT ESSAY RESOURCES

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all high school students (9th through 12th grades) interested in the American Revolution to participate in the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest. The contest is open to all US Citizen and Legal Resident students attending home schools, public, parochial, or private high schools in that same grade range. 

To participate, students must submit an original 800- to 1,200-word essay based on an event, person, philosophy or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. Each student’s essay will be judged based upon its historical accuracy, clarity, organization, grammar and spelling, and documentation.

The contest is conducted in three phases: the local chapter, state-level society, and national phases. The contest must be entered through an SAR chapter near the student’s residence. In some cases, the contest may be entered at the state level (if the local society does not have chapters or the chapters are not participating) and a contact-at-large should be used to find out more contest details. The list of contest contacts listed below can provide you with assistance in entering the Knight Essay Contest. Only one entry per student is permitted per contest year.

A complete set of rules, along with the application for both the applicant and the sponsoring SAR members, can be found below. Please be aware that the local application deadline dates may vary, so interested applicants should reach out to their local SAR member listed below for further details.

Knight Essay Resources
Essay Application
Essay Rules
Essay Example
Essay Medal Flyer

 

Donations to the Knight Essay Contest Program

Virginia SAR compatriots and the general public are encouraged to support the Brennan Fund (Youth Programs), including the Knight Essay Contest Program. Your contributions enrich this program and encourage students across the Commonwealth to showcase their creativity and talents.
State-level donations designated to benefit the Youth and Education programs shall be given a rank in the Virginia Society First Virginia Regiment, based on the level of the contribution.

National-level donations help the SAR reward young people’s interest in history and the arts.  Donations should be sent directly to Headquarters and designated to benefit the Youth Video Contest. The Thomas Jefferson Medal for Support of the Essay Contest  (pictured right) is awarded by the National Society to recognize financial support for the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest.  The funds generated by sales of the medal are used to increase the endowment for the cash awards presented by these contests.  The medal is awarded following a donation of $250.00 or more.  Donors at $250 and up are honored at the Donor Awards Breakfast and will receive an award in recognition of their contribution.