Historical society sponsors student essay contest
The Daniel Island Historical Society (DIHS) is embarking on a new initiative to help foster interest in local history on the part of area young people. According to a press release, the historical society is sponsoring an essay contest for high school students, complete with cash prizes totaling $500. Students in grades 9-12, living in or attending high school in the 29492 zip code, are eligible to enter. Those participating will be asked to answer a history-related essay prompt.
“We seek to promote civic engagement on the part of young people and support their exploration of our collective memory,” noted DIHS President Chris Frisby, who sits on the history faculty at Ashley Hall. “The essay contest prompts students to consider how their own personal histories, perhaps their family stories, intersect with and continue the history of Daniel Island. Students will exercise academic writing and historical thinking skills as they explore the interconnectedness of their lives with the past.”
Last year, DIHS helped underwrite publication of the book “Daniel Island Unearthed: An Archaeological Field Guide To Daniel Island’s Wando River Coastline,” by then-high school student John Conley, who grew up on Daniel Island. Conley is currently attending college in the United Kingdom. The idea for the essay contest came out of discussions on how to support and encourage similar projects among local youth.
DIHS has long supported outreach programs to schools on Daniel Island and the greater Cainhoy peninsula, from art projects featuring the works of the late master blacksmith Philip Simmons, to helping stock school libraries with local historical material, to providing classroom resources or “history in a trunk” for students studying South Carolina’s past.
DIHS Community Outreach Coordinator Lee Ann Bain will be sending information about the contest to area schools. Essays must be submitted by March 31, 2020. Winners will be announced April 17.
A complete set of contest rules and requirements is available on the Daniel Island Historical Society website at http://dihistoricalsociety.com/blog/daniel-island-historical-society-stu....