Essay contest underway

An essay contest opened this week.

The 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest led by the Indiana Association of High School Principals is now open for submissions.

The contest is open to students in grades six through 12. Participants are asked to write an essay based on the following King quote: "If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."

Additional details about the contest are available at iasp.org/students/mlk-jr-essay. The deadline to submit essays is Thursday, Feb. 29.

Enroll in 4-H

Enrollment is open for the upcoming 4-H year.

Children in third through 12th grades are welcome to join 4-H. Mini 4-H is also offered to kindergarteners through second graders. 

The youth development program started more than 100 years back offers a variety of clubs and hands-on experiences for children to learn about their community and world. Jay County Purdue Extension Office advises children to sign up by Jan. 15 for the full experience. Enroll at v2.4honline.com.

Bee entries open

Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Indiana Department of Education last week announced the launch of the state’s inaugural Civics Bee.

The event is aimed at encouraging Hoosiers in sixth through eighth grade to engage in civics and contribute to their community. The event will be held in August at the Indiana Statehouse.

Students interested in participating must submit an essay to the participating chamber of commerce closest to their home. (Participating chambers include Greater Grant County, Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce and Wayne County Chamber of Commerce.) The deadline is Monday.

For more information, visit indianachamber.com/civicsbee.