Josiah Cook, a homeschooled student from Greenwood, won first place in a state-wide essay contest. He was followed by students from Plainfield, Otterbein and Porter, Indiana.
The Indiana Statehouse Tour Office, in conjunction with the Indiana Center for the Book, holds an essay competition to commemorate Indiana Statehood Day each year. Winners of the essay contest were honored during a recorded Statehood Day Celebration.
This year the students were asked to reflect on Indiana’s great outdoors. The judges ask multiple questions each year to give prompts to the students. This year, the questions to spark students’ writing this year included:
Why is nature important?
- How do you enjoy nature in Indiana?
- Why are water and other natural resources important?
- What outdoor recreational spots in Indiana are special to you?
- Why is nature important to a great state?
Essays came in from all over the state. Public schools, private schools, and homeschooled students submitted over 400 essays from 25 Indiana counties.