All 8^th grade students are invited to submit an essay with photos identifying a historic endangered property in their community or county.  Properties must be at least 50 years of age or older (age requirement to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places).  Properties can include houses, commercial buildings, downtown buildings, churches, courthouses, schools, farms, cemeteries, bridges, monuments, and landscapes. Students are asked not only to identify an endangered historic property but are also required to develop their civic engagement through the use of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.  They must research the historic significance of the property, describe current preservation efforts, devise a plan for adaptive re-use of the property, and submit their essay to a local decision-maker in their community. Submissions are due via mail or email to Preservation Alliance of West Virginia by May 15, 2014.

First-, second-, and third-place winners will receive a cash scholarship from CONSOL Energy and be invited to present a brief PowerPoint presentation during the annual Historic Preservation Awards Banquet on September 26^th, 2014 at the Palms Reception Hall in Huntington, WV.

For more information about the contest and Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, please check out our website; http://pawv.org/studeteach.htm

Robert “Joey” Wiseman Jr.

Assistant Director

Office of Secondary Learning

Instructional Materials

Social Studies