Attitude Essay Contest - Service Description

History

The ATTITUDE Essay contest began in 1995 through the joint efforts of United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Indiana and the Indiana Governor's Planning Council for People with Disabilities. This was in response to an incident in 1993 in which a young Ft. Wayne girl with cerebral palsy wrote a letter to the local newspaper asking Santa Claus for one day at school when the other children would not make fun of her.

The purpose of the ATTITUDE Essay contest is to encourage an awareness among elementary and middle school-aged children about how the attitudes of others toward people with disabilities can serve as barriers to their achievement and well-being. As of 2006, more than 4,700 children from nearly 200 schools have participated in the contest.

Process

Every January notices are sent to all Indiana elementary and middle schools inviting teachers to encourage their students to participate in the contest. UCPAGI's Speakers' Bureau is available for presentations and written materials are provided, as requested. Students are required to write about an interview with a child or adult with a disability or about a book about a person with a disability or about their own observations or feelings about attitudes toward people with disabilities.

All essays are reviewed in March by a panel of judges on the basis of creativity, originality, quality of writing and understanding of the issue. ATTITUDE Bears and cash prizes are awarded to two essayists in each of three age categories and the winners are invited to UCPAGI's Annual Awards Luncheon. Certificates of participation are provided to every entrant. The top 30 essays are published in a booklet each year.

Related Outcome

People served by UCPAGI will live in integrated environments in which there is understanding, acceptance and affiliation with other members of the community.

Documents Available for Download:

1. Attitude Essay Application