Austin — Today, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the kickoff of the 2021 Save Texas History Essay Contest for 4th and 7th grade students. The statewide contest encourages students to promote their communities’ history by answering an important question: “What history in your community is worth saving?”

“As a former history teacher, it’s especially rewarding to have the opportunity to kick off this contest on behalf of the Save Texas History program at the General Land Office,” said Commissioner Bush. “Each Texas community has its own unique historical value and there is no better lens to look at history than through the eyes of a young student. This is a great opportunity for our students to promote their communities and state, and I look forward to reading the essays and congratulating the winners.” 

Last year’s student essays reflected the rich diversity of community history in Texas. The fourth-grade grand prize winner, Keltyn Arnold from Chandler, told the story of the Chandler Museum and Visitor Center, the former childhood home of United States Senator Ralph Yarborough. The seventh-grade grand prize winner, Madeline Moran, wrote about downtown Palestine. In her essay, she praised the public art and annual activities like the Grand Tree Lighting and Christmas parade, which made it feel “even more magical, like a cozy small town.” Other notable entries highlighted the connection between Johnson Space Center and Kazakhstan, San Antonio’s Richard Beene Site, La Casa de la Cultura in Del Rio, and Westfest and Czech heritage.
 
This year, two grand prize winners will each receive a gift card worth $500 courtesy of Chris Cantu of Edward Jones Investments. Five other finalists in each grade will each receive gift cards worth $100 courtesy of the Moses Austin Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and Buck Cole. All winners and finalists will receive a Save Texas History backpack, a t-shirt, a Certificate of Achievement signed by Commissioner Bush, and other items from the GLO and essay sponsors. The names of all winners and finalists will appear on the Save Texas History website at www.savetexashistory.org.
 
Entries must meet all eligibility requirements and be received by November 30, 2021. More information and the contest entry form can be found here, or by contacting essaycontest@glo.texas.gov.
 
The GLO’s Save Texas History™ program is a statewide initiative to rally public support and private funding for the preservation and promotion of more than 35 million historic maps and documents. With the twin goals of preservation and education, the program seeks to conserve these documents for future generations and educate Texans about the rich heritage found in these vital records. You can follow Save Texas History on Facebook, and Twitter.