Ready to make a REAL difference in Cobb County?
Got ideas about how to build a more just and equal future?
Then SPEAK UP!
Enter our Racial Justice Essay Contest and share your vision for a better Cobb County.
10th and 11th graders, this is YOUR chance to be heard.
Imagine racial justice is a reality – what’s YOUR role in making it happen?
Tell us in 1000 words or less and you could win up to $1,000!
Multiple prizes will be awarded, with a minimum of $2000 distributed among the winners.
Cobb County, like many communities, faces persistent challenges rooted in racial injustice. These challenges manifest in various forms, including disparities in education, economic opportunity, housing, and interactions with the justice system. Addressing these systemic issues requires a thorough understanding of their root causes and a commitment to implementing effective solutions. This essay contest encourages you to critically analyze the problems of racial injustice in Cobb County and propose concrete actions to create a more equitable future.
Imagine a future where racial justice is a reality in Cobb County. What role do you envision yourself playing in achieving this vision? Identify a specific problem related to racial inequality. Then, propose concrete and actionable solutions to address this problem. Describe specific actions you will take within and outside of school to contribute to a more equitable and just Cobb County. Explain how these actions will help bring us closer to a future where racial justice is a reality.
Instructions:
Schedule:
If You Need Help:
We’re super excited to see what you come up with! Remember, we’re here to help you shine! If you get stuck or just want to chat about your ideas, you can email us at mmmmm@mmm.com. We can answer your questions, and if you want to talk to someone directly, we can even set up a time for you to have a special one-on-one chat! Just let us know in your email, and we’ll make it happen. We believe in you!
Digital Research Resources : Historic Georgia newspapers https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu
Historic African American Georgia newspapers https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/types/african_american
Historic Cobb County newspapers https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/counties/cobb
The Marietta Journal 1866-1909 https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85034082/
Georgia Archives Online Collection https://www.georgiaarchives.org/research
Digital library/Cobb County https://dlg.usg.edu/records?f%5Bcounties_facet%5D%5B%5D=Cobb
Online Library resources https://dlg.usg.edu
Gateway to Georgia’s History l https://dlg.usg.edu
Galileo https://www.galileo.usg.edu/cob1/highschool
Civil Rights digital library https://crdl.usg.edu
Georgia collection African American collection https://www.cobbcounty.org/library/learning-programs/georgia-room/collections/african-american-collection
Cobb County Sanborn maps https://www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn-maps/?q=cobb+county,+georgia
Tuskegee lynching info http://archive.tuskegee.edu/repository/digital-collection/lynching-information/
Several books and publications by Ida B. Wells (many available on line), The Strange Career of Jim Crow by C. Van Woodward, The Atlanta Riot by Gregory Mixon, And the Dead Shall Rise by Steve Oney, Blood at the Root by Patrick Philip, At the hands of Persons Unknown: the Lynching of Black America by Philip Dray. There is a new book The Barn: the Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi by Wright Thompson. EJI’s “Lynching in America” https://eji.org/wp-content/uploads/2005/11/lynching-in-america-3d-ed-110121.pdf
“The Changing South of Gene Patterson: Journalism and Civil Rights 1960-68” edited by Roy Peter Clark and Raymond Arsenault
“Caste” The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson
“Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn” by Gary M. Pomerantz
Media: Buried Truths, a podcast by Hank Klibanoff, Emory Professor
Other local libraries/museums: Georgia Room @ Switzer Library in Marietta, Georgia Archives in Morrow, oral histories @ KSU, Auburn Avenue Research Library
If researching housing practices, the Smyrna History Museum has some resources. Smyrna’s City Limits were designed to exclude African Americans
Think of your essay as a story with a problem and a super awesome solution, and YOU are the solution! Remember to use strong, evocative language to make your essay stand out. This means you may choose to:
Identify and Define the Problem(s):
Propose Specific Solutions:
Your Role in the Solution(s):
Hey amazing writers! We’re so excited to see the stories and ideas you come up with for your essays! We want to remind you that this contest is all about YOUR own special thoughts and how YOU see the world.
Sometimes, there are tools that can help write things for you, like robots that try to write stories. But for this contest, we really want to hear YOUR voice! Your ideas, your words, and your feelings are what make your essay truly special.
Think of it like drawing a picture. You could have a machine draw it for you, but wouldn’t it be much more fun and meaningful to draw it yourself? Your own drawing shows your unique style and what you imagine!
So, please, use your own brain and your own heart to write your essay. We want to see what YOU can do! We believe in your creativity and your ability to write something wonderful all by yourself!
| Criteria | 4 (Exceptional) | 3 (Strong) | 2 (Developing) | 1 (Needs Improvement) |
| Vision (25%)
Effectiveness in presenting a compelling and realistic vision of racial justice in Cobb County, with a nuanced Understanding of its complexities. |
Presents a highly compelling and realistic vision of a future with racial justice in Cobb County. Demonstrates a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the complexities of racial justice, addressing potential challenges and offering innovative solutions. The vision is inspiring and actionable. | Presents a compelling and realistic vision of a future with racial justice in Cobb County. Demonstrates a good understanding of the complexities of racial justice and offers thoughtful solutions. The vision is generally clear and achievable. | Presents a vision of racial justice, but it may lack detail, realism, or a full understanding of the complexities involved. Solutions may be less developed or impactful. | Struggles to present a coherent vision of racial justice. May oversimplify the issues or lack understanding of the challenges involved. The vision may be unrealistic or lack actionable steps. |
| Personal Role and Action (20%)
Clarity and persuasiveness in articulating the student’s role and proposed actions, with specificity and long-term commitment. |
Articulates a clear, persuasive, and highly impactful personal role in achieving racial justice. Proposed actions are specific, actionable, and demonstrate a deep commitment to long-term engagement, both within and outside of school, and in future professional endeavors. | Articulates a clear and persuasive personal role. Proposed actions are specific and actionable, demonstrating a commitment to long-term engagement and future contributions. | Articulates a personal role, but it may lack clarity or persuasiveness. Proposed actions may be general or lack impact. Commitment to long-term engagement may be less evident. | Struggles to articulate a personal role or propose meaningful actions. Demonstrates little commitment to long-term engagement. |
| Understanding and Insight (20%)
Depth of understanding of historical and contemporary racism in Cobb County, including systemic barriers and strategies for dismantling them. |
Demonstrates a deep and insightful understanding of the historical and contemporary realities of racial injustice in Cobb County. Reflects a strong awareness of systemic barriers and a commitment to dismantling them. | Demonstrates a good understanding of the historical and contemporary realities of racial injustice in Cobb County. Reflects an awareness of systemic barriers and a commitment to addressing them. | Demonstrates some understanding of racial injustice, but may lack depth or nuance. Awareness of systemic barriers may be limited. | Demonstrates a limited understanding of racial injustice and its impact. May oversimplify the issues or fail to recognize systemic barriers. |
| Clarity and Organization (15%)
Logical flow, structure, and readability of the essay. |
Essay is exceptionally well-organized with a clear and logical flow of ideas. Writing is concise, engaging, and easy to understand. | Essay is well-organized with a clear flow of ideas. Writing is generally concise and easy to understand. | Essay shows some organization, but the flow of ideas may be inconsistent. Writing may be unclear or difficult to follow in places. | Essay lacks clear organization and a logical flow of ideas. Writing is confusing or difficult to understand. |
| Voice and Style (10%)
Authenticity, persuasiveness, and engagement of the student’s writing. |
Essay reflects the student’s authentic voice and perspective in a compelling and persuasive manner. Writing style is engaging and impactful. | Essay reflects the student’s authentic voice and perspective. Writing style is generally engaging. | Essay attempts to reflect the student’s voice, but it may not be fully developed or persuasive. | Essay lacks a clear or authentic voice. Writing style is weak or ineffective. |
| Mechanics and Presentation (10%)
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and overall formatting. |
Essay is free of grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues. Formatting is consistent and professional. | Essay is generally free of grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues. Formatting is mostly consistent. | Essay contains some grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or punctuation issues. Formatting may be inconsistent. | Essay contains numerous grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or punctuation issues. Formatting is inconsistent or unprofessional. |
Guess what? We made a special checklist just for you! It’s like a treasure map to make sure your essay is the best it can be. This checklist will help you remember all the important things, like making sure your sentences make sense and that your ideas are super clear. So, before you send in your amazing essay, grab the checklist and check, check, check everything off! It’s like a secret weapon to make your writing shine! Essay Submission Checklist
