Sertoma Club of Broad Ripple 2018-2019 National Heritage Essay Contest Information for principals and teachers about the National Heritage Essay Contest: Sertoma International is a service organization, founded in 1912.  Sertoma is an acronym for “Service to Mankind”. The Sertoma Club of Broad Ripple was chartered in 1958.  Current membership is 130 men.  We provide financial support to charitable causes in Central Indiana; conduct programs to promote prevention of hearing loss; and, sponsor an annual National Heritage Essay Contest for sixth grade students. The contest is open to 6 th  grade students attending public and private schools in Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, and northern Indianapolis. Principals or teachers interested in participating in this year’s contest should send an email to Ray Baker at: rbclimited@att.net. The deadline for inclusion in this year’s contest is Friday, November 2, 2018.  Sertoma Club of Broad Ripple has sponsored the National Heritage Essay Contest for over 30 years for sixth grade students in public, private and parochial schools in the Greater Indianapolis area. “What Freedom Means to Me” is the topic we ask students to address in their essay.  We hope that the contest complements teachers’ efforts to develop their young students’ critical thinking and writing skills.  We believe that participation in the National Heritage Essay Contest encourages students to better understand the founding principles of our country and to consider how those principles affect their lives today. All students in participating sixth grade classrooms are encouraged to write and submit essays. In the previous 4 years, 4195 students in 215 classrooms in 54 schools have participated in our National Heritage Essay Contest and a total of $19,000 in prizes has been awarded to winning students. Classroom participation period is late November through the first week of March. Teachers may use any portion of the allotted period for the essay contest.  During March and early April our National Heritage Committee evaluates submitted essays and determines Classroom Winners, Finalists, Honorable Mention Recipients and Grand Prize Winners.  A recognition luncheon for the three Grand Prize Winners will be held on Wednesday, May 1,2019.