This year, the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) are sponsoring the 14th annual nationwide Bill of Rights Essay Contest. The focus this year will be on describing the rise of social media and what it means for the future of democracy and the interaction between citizens and both women candidates and elected women leaders. The deadline for submission is Friday, June 24, 2011 after which an NFWL/NRA joint committee will judge each essay and the seven award recipients will be chosen.
If you are a female High School junior or senior, class of 2011 or 2012, you are eligible to participate. The seven contest winners will receive: (1) a $3,000 unrestricted scholarship to use towards college tuition at any U.S. college or university; and (2) an all-expense-paid trip to NFWL's 2011 Annual Conference, taking place August 11th-15th at the Marriott in Downtown Des, Moines, Iowa. Here you will meet women lawmakers from across the United States, learn about public policy, and establish relationships that often grow into mentoring opportunities.
ESSAY TOPIC: The Impact of the First Amendment on Women Leaders and Social Media
In 2010, 22% of Americans used social media to actively participate in the campaigns and elections across the country. As constantly connected young citizens, you use social media to engage in politics and to become catalyst for change in your communities.
This year's essay topic is "The Impact of the First Amendment on Women Leaders and Social Media." Write a 400- to 600-word essay on the rise of social media and what it means for the future of democracy and the interaction between citizens and both women candidates and elected women leaders.
Begin by considering such social media as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and mass political text messaging. Consider how these forms of social media create an interconnected body politic - and a direct communication channel between citizens and leaders.
How can citizens and elected women connect using social media to discuss issues, build trust, generate buzz, engage in dialogue about public policy, and mobilize support for proposed legislation or an event? The following questions are offered to help you shape your essay. Don't feel as though you must answer each question. Instead, keep your essay focused and concise. It is also imperative that your essay connect to the Bill of Rights.
Electing more women candidates: How can women candidates use social media to more effectively connect with voters on the campaign trail? How can women candidates use social media to run campaigns that are more "supporter-centric"? Is real-time narrative a key to doing so? If yes, explain how.
How do core social-media tenets like "community listening" and "crowdsourcing" apply to campaigns? How does social media change political rallies and meet-and-greets?
Social media and our First Amendment rights. Consider these four rights guaranteed to us in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
How does the First Amendment protect our rights while we're communicating via social media? We can speak, write, and publish with freedom. Can we post, text, and tweet with freedom? Is free access to the social Web a fundamental human right? How does free speech affect the quality of governance?
Consider the multiple facets of freedom of speech: freedom of expression and the freedom to disseminate, seek, receive, and impart ideas and other information in any media. Consider freedom of the press. Consider our right to petition the government. Consider our right to assemble - and our implied First Amendment freedoms of association and participation in public forums. How do these rights extend to social media?
Finally, consider what happens in countries with no First Amendment rights. What happens when dictatorships and other repressive governments filter or censor or control online content or erect barriers to Internet freedom?
Research: With any of these topics or themes, consider writings on the freedom of communication from ancient Athens and the ancient Roman Republic; and from philosophers John Milton, John Locke, John Stuart Mill. Also, be familiar with the legislation of the First Amendment and U.S. Supreme Court cases interpreting and enforcing it.
Important: The Scholarship Committee will weigh five specific elements in submissions: In addition to the basics of spelling, punctuation, and writing style, the judges will be judging your essay for (1) Addressing what has been gained and what has been lost with social media in this type of environment, for example privacy and etiquette limits of social media. (2) Understanding the Bill of Rights including the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, (3) Understanding social media in the political arena in our time, (4) the analysis, insight, and imagination about the role of social media in the political arena recently and in the future, and (5) the inspirational quality and storytelling.
For additional questions or for more information please contact Crystal Adkisson, NFWL Deputy Director of Programming & Operations by email Crystal_Adkisson@womenlegislators.org or phone (202) 293-3040 ext. 1005.
Download 2011 Application and Verification Form >>
Contact Information:
For inquiries: Crystal_Adkisson@womenlegislators.org
For submissions: scholarships@womenlegislators.org
Website: http://www.womenlegislators.org
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