Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan wants to hear from young Vermonters about their thoughts on the environment. For the first time ever, the Attorney General’s Office is holding an Earth Day Essay Challenge and asking 5th and 6th graders all around Vermont to submit essays on the environment.
“Young Vermonters are in touch with our environment,” said Attorney General Donovan. “They enjoy time spent outdoors and they care andworry about what is happening to the environment. I look forward to reading these Earth Day essays and hearing directly from our future environmental leaders on what is important to them.”
The Attorney General’s Earth Day Essay Challenge is open to any 5th or 6th grader in Vermont, and will run from February 15, 2021 through April 1, 2021. Vermont’s 5th and 6th graders are encouraged to be creative and to write about their thoughts on Earth Day and Vermont’s environment.
Suggested topics for essays include: What do you love about Vermont’s environment - clean air, wildlife, its lakes, rivers, and mountains? How do you enjoy Vermont’s environment? What do you care most about with the environment? What does Earth Day mean to you? What are your concerns about the future of Vermont’s environment? How does Vermont’s changing environment impact outdoor recreation, winter sports, wildlife habitat, farming, our health, or other things? What do you think we should do to help protect the environment? Note: Participants do not need to cover any or all of these topics—these are just ideas.
All essays submitted to the Attorney General’s Office will be posted on a webpage on the Attorney General’s Office’s public website on Earth Day 2021. Participants will be entered in a drawing to have Attorney General Donovan pay a virtual visit to the student’s classroom.
Members of the Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Division will read all essays and provide individual feedback to each student who submits an essay. (Please indicate in your submission if you prefer not to receive feedback). Additionally, Environmental Protection Division attorneys will be available to virtually speak to participating classes about the environmental work of the Attorney General’s Office during the essay submission period.
For more information on the Attorney General’s Earth Day Essay Challenge, including how to submit your essay, please see the attached “Fact Sheet.”
Attorney General’s Earth Day Essay Challenge Fact Sheet
What? Attorney General T.J. Donovan wants to hear from young Vermonters about the environment. For the first time ever, the Attorney General’s Office is holding an Earth Day Essay Challenge and asking 5th and 6th graders all around Vermont to submit essays on the environment.
Who? The Earth Day Essay Challenge is open to any 5th or 6th grader in Vermont.
When? The Earth Day Essay Challenge will be announced by press release and on social media on February 1, 2021 and will run from February 15, 2021 through April 1, 2021.
Essay Topics: 5th and 6th graders are encouraged to be creative and to write about their thoughts on Earth Day and Vermont’s environment. Suggestions include: What do you love about Vermont’s environment - clean air, wildlife, its lakes, rivers, and mountains? How do you enjoy Vermont’s environment? What do you care most about with the environment? What does Earth Day mean to you? What are your concerns about the future of Vermont’s environment? How does Vermont’s changing environment impact outdoor recreation, winter sports, wildlife habitat, farming, our health, or other things? What do you think we should do to help protect the environment? You do not need to cover any or all of these topics—these are just ideas!
What Else? All essay submissions will be posted on the Attorney General’s Office’s public website unless a participant wishes to not have their essay posted. Posted essays will include a participant’s first name, first initial of their last name, and their school and grade.
Participants will be entered in a drawing to have Attorney General Donovan pay a virtual visit the student’s classroom.
The Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Division will read all essays and provide individual feedback to each person who submits an essay. (Please indicate in your submission if you prefer not to receive feedback.)
For Teachers: 5th and 6th grade teachers who have students participating in the essay challenge and who would like to have an Environmental Protection Division attorney speak with their class about the environmental work of the Attorney General’s Office virtually during the event period (February 15 through April 1) should contact Natasha Sala at [email protected].
How to Submit? Essays should be no more than 1,000 words. Please include your name, school (or indicate home school), grade and teacher with your submission. Essays can be submitted electronically to the Attorney General’s Office by email to [email protected] or by mail to:
Earth Day Essay Challenge
Vermont Attorney General’s Office
Attn: Environmental Protection Division
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05602