Shandy Hill Essay Scholarship Contest Rules and Guidance
The Greater Pottstown Foundation (GPF) conducts this essay contest to judge the perceptions of Pottstown area high school seniors on any aspect of life and/or progress they have observed in the greater Pottstown area.
The winning essay will be determined by the collective judgement of the GPF Board of Directors based on the *merits of the essay, so it is imperative that no individual or family identification be included in the entries.
Rules and guidance are offered as follows:
- One essay submission per student
- Original works only (no AI generated essays, copied materials or ghosted submissions). Entries cannot be edited by teachers or parents.
- Submissions must be typed and double spaced
- Accompanied by a completed application form (available at the Guidance Offices)
- Must be sent to the GPF office and post marked no later than May1, 2024
Winning entries typically address how the student is affected by living in this area vs. living in other counties, cities or another country. Past winning entries have provided student interpretations of how they were impacted, positively or negatively, by various aspects of community life here in Pottstown. Aspects have included, but are not limited to: art, culture, community values, racial/religious tolerance, economy, etc.
Factors that are weighed by the judges include:
- FOCUS - Essays should be developed around a single, clear idea or concept that address the writer’s perceptions and interpretations
- COHERENCE - An essay should be organized logically and flow smoothly to the reader
- CORRECTNESS - Sentence structure, grammar and spelling should be indicative of appropriate English standards for high school