Photo Provided

Larry Kobrovsky

It is essay contest time again.

Open to all middle school and high school students as well as adults, the entries will be accepted until April 25.

This year's topic will be the meaning "Equal Protection" clause. The contest will be held in honor of the late Don Pounder, a Mount Pleasant resident whose life exemplified what our country is about, according to sponsor Larry Kobrovsky. The contest is sponsored by the longtime attorney and member of the State Education Board.

"We wanted to perpetuate his memory in honor of his contributions to personal character and civic involvement and what all citizens should aspire to be," he said.

Pounder, a native Texan arrived in Mount Pleasant as a retired Navy officer and worked as a program analyst at the Southern Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command in North Charleston before becoming a realtor. He was appointed to serve on the first Charleston County Park, Recreation and Tourism Commission in 1968 and was elected as the commission's chairman in 1971. He served 10 years. Pounder is credited with creating the park system's long- and short-term programs

History of the contest

After winning a federal lawsuit based on the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, Kobrovsky wanted to make people more aware of the language of the Constitution, so he began a community-wide essay contest.

Kobrovsky started the contest in 2003 when he, a former school board member, sued the Charleston County School district for denying admission to Buist Academy for Advanced Studies for several East Cooper children because of their ancestry.

"They were deemed to not have the proper ancestry to contribute to the desired ethnic quota of students," Kobrovsky explained.

Ultimately, the district was required to vote unanimously to eliminate racial and ethnic quotas in all schools in Charleston County.

"As a result of our success in that lawsuit, a child's race or ethnic background can no longer play any role in admission to any public school in Charleston County," Kobrovsky said. In the Federal court order Kobrovsky included a provision that allowed part of his attorney's fees to be used for an essay contest on the importance of the Equal Protection Cause of the 14th Amendment.

Kobrovsky said "we hope that this encourages people to actually look at the words in the Constitution and contemplate what they mean," he said.

"The diversity of Americans is something that makes us strong, but the glue that holds us together is the expectation, as guaranteed by our Constitution, that we are all going to be treated the same regardless of what we look like or where our ancestors came from."

Over the years the topics for the contest have varied.

"We've gone back to the Fourteenth Amendment because, as the country becomes so diverse, we must remain aware of what unites us and not what divides us," said Kobrovsky. "We are all citizens of the United States - we're not black, white or Hispanic citizens."

When he ran for Congress, Kobrovsky mailed out copies of the Constitution to his potential constituents.

"I'm convinced that the Constitution is the foundation of our way of life and why we're exceptional," he said.

"The more people that are aware of it and wrestle with the language, the better off we'll be. If I had my way, every senior in high school would be handed a copy of the Constitution at graduation."

Besides contest winners, teachers with the most students participating from their classes will also be awarded. Prizes are as follows: High School - First place: $250; Second place $100; Teacher: $150. Middle School - First place: $100; Second place: $50; Teacher $100. Adult - First place: $250; Second place: $100.

The staff of the Moultrie News and independent judges, including past winners will judge the essays. The judges will look for organized, clear and persuasive writing, and essays will be judged based on content, organization, style and grammar.

Essays must be double-spaced and typed in 12-point Times New Roman font. Only e-mailed entries will be accepted.

Middle school students should write no more than 300 words; high school students and adults should write no more than 500 words. Essays will only be accepted by e-mailing news@moultrienews.com no later than April 25. Include your name, e-mail address and phone number.

In addition, if you are a student, also include your school, grade and teacher. Judges will not see this information.

Winners will be announced May 28, with the first place winners' essays and photos printed in the Moultrie News.

Rules

Your essay should explain the meaning of the Equal Protection Clause and how this applies to modern-day life.

- Essays must be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font and be double-spaced.

- Middle school students should write no more than 300 words.

- High school students and adults should write no more than 500 words.

- Include your name, e-mail address and phone number. If you are a student, include your school, grade and teacher. Judges will not see this information when they are judging.

- Essays will be accepted by e-mail only. They must be e-mailed to news@moultrienews.com no later than noon, April 25 at noon

- Judges will look for organized, clear and persuasive writing.

- Essays will be judged on content, organization, style and grammar.

Prizes

- Adult winner: $500 plus a Charleston Harbor Dinner Cruise for two on Spirit of Charleston

- High school winner: $500

- Middle school winner: $250

- Middle or high school teacher with most student submissions: $100 prize

- Copies of the Constitution will be given to every teacher whose class participate so they can pass them out to every student in his or her class.