COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

PRINS. MEMO NO. 37

October 14, 2003

ELEMENTARY / MIDDLE / SECONDARY

TO:	Principals
FROM:	Patricia I. Wright Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
SUBJECT:	Black History Month Essay Contest

Dominion Virginia Power and Dominion North Carolina Power are sponsoring a writing contest for African-American high school seniors in preparation for Black History Month. The winning student will receive a $750 U.S. Savings Bond and the student’s school will receive a cash award of $1000.

Students must select one of the individuals featured in Dominion’s “Strong Men and Women: Excellence in Leadership” materials and write a 300-word essay about this individual and why he or she deserves respect and recognition as a leader. Each school may submit two entries. The entries should be mailed to: Minority Affairs, Dominion Virginia Power, P.O. Box 26666, Richmond, VA 23261. The entries must be received by November 13, 2003.

Additional information on the contest, the list of individuals, and further instructions are available through the Minority Affairs Office of Dominion Virginia Power at (804) 771-4797 or on their Web site at http://www.dom.com (key word “strong”).

For further information, please contact Colleen C. Bryant (cbryant@mail.vak12ed.edu), history and social science specialist for secondary education, at (804) 786-4640.

PIW/CCB