Contest Deadline – March 11 every year

What is the SAR Middle School Brochure Contest?

The SAR Middle School Brochure Contest challenges students to create a tri-fold brochure (from an 8 ½” x 11” piece of paper) based on one of the five foundational documents of the United States. The brochure must reflect the chosen document’s theme and will be judged on Content, Creativity, and Accuracy.

The contest emphasizes original work by the student, including hand-drawn artwork and authored text, rather than copying material from books, magazines, or the internet. However, using software tools to design and create the brochure is allowed.

Prizes

  • National Prizes:
    • 1st: $200
    • 2nd: $150
    • 3rd: $100
  • Local and state prizes may vary depending on the chapter and state. The contest is officially named the Sgt. Moses Adams Memorial Middle School Brochure Contest.

How the Contest Works

The contest has three levels:

  1. Local Level: Students submit entries to their local SAR chapter.
  2. State Level: Chapter winners advance to the state competition.
  3. National Level: The first-place state winner moves on to compete at the national level for cash prizes.

Entries must go through a school, scouting organization, or the Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.). Home-schooled students should submit through their homeschool association. Individual students cannot submit entries directly to the SAR Chapter.

Who Can Enter?

The contest is open to middle school students in grades 6-9 (depending on when the American Revolution is taught in their school). This includes:

  • Private, public, and home-schooled students.
  • Scouts and C.A.R. members (if their school is not participating).

Students can only enter the contest once during their middle school years, and each entry must be individual (not a group effort).

Getting Started

  1. Ask a teacher, C.A.R. leader, or scout leader to oversee the contest.
  2. Contact a local SAR Chapter for specific deadlines and contest guidelines.
  3. Ensure your brochure follows the contest rules and guidelines (provided below).
  4. Deadlines vary by chapter, so check with your local SAR Chapter for the correct date.

Judging Criteria

Entries are judged based on three key categories:

  1. Content: How well the brochure explains and presents the chosen foundational document.
  2. Creativity: The originality of the design and use of art and text.
  3. Correctness: Accuracy of historical information, spelling, grammar, and adherence to the brochure guidelines.

The SAR values original student work. Using hand-drawn art and student-written text is encouraged, while cut-and-paste from external sources is discouraged.

Contest Theme

The theme of the contest is always one of the five foundational documents of the United States:

  • Articles of Confederation
  • Declaration of Independence
  • U.S. Constitution
  • Bill of Rights
  • Federalist Papers

Brochure Guidelines

  1. Size: The brochure must be made from a single 8 ½” x 11” piece of paper folded into three equal panels (tri-fold).
  2. Artwork: Hand-drawn artwork is highly encouraged. Simple, original drawings that convey ideas are preferred over clip art or pasted images.
  3. Text: Text must be original and can be hand-written or typed, but no copying from books, the internet, or magazines.

Content Layout

Here’s how the content should be arranged in your brochure:

  • Cover Panel: Include a title and an image related to the document.
  • Inside Cover: A picture and brief introduction (with a caption if necessary).
  • First Inside Panel: An introduction to the document with key facts and an overview.
  • Two Inside Panels: A detailed explanation of the document’s significance, answering questions like:
    • What are the lessons for America in this document?
    • How does it reflect American values?
    • What motivated the creators of this document?
    • What was its impact on American history?
    • Could you have been a part of creating it?
  • Back Panel: Must include a 2 ½” x 2 ½” box with the following information:
    • Student’s name (first, middle initial, last)
    • School district and school name (or C.A.R. Society or scouting group)
    • Grade and school year
    • Teacher’s or adult leader’s name
    • State code and SAR chapter name

Construction Instructions

  • Paper: Use standard or pastel-colored paper. The brochure must be able to fold into a tri-fold format.
  • Art: Use hand-drawn artwork when possible. Software-generated artwork is allowed, but avoid pasting images from external sources.
  • Text: The text should be original, either hand-written or typed, and should follow proper grammar and spelling.

Sgt. Moses Adams

The contest is named in honor of Sgt. Moses Adams, a soldier in the American Revolution who made the ultimate sacrifice. He was a member of the 13th Regiment of the Massachusetts Line and died at Valley Forge. The contest honors his service and the sacrifice of many others who fought for America’s freedom.