I, Too, Am America: Untold Stories Student Narratives Contest
National Parks of Kansas 2009

The stories of the United States of America and its people are as numerous and diverse as the people themselves. There are the stories of a community coming together over a tragedy at a collapsed coal mine; stories of families from Southeast Asia who immigrated to towns and cities across the country and worked together to build businesses; stories of ordinary people from every walk of life reaching up and reaching out to make the nation a better place to live. The National Park Service preserves special places and things that help people understand and remember the many stories that tell the world what it is to be American.

The National Park Service preserves and interprets five of these special places in the state of Kansas. Each site tells many stories of the people who lived, worked, built communities, and defended lives and property there. Some of these stories are about famous politicians and leaders or stories of generals and battlegrounds. But other stories preserved and retold by the National Park Service are about people whose names are not so well known, like former slaves from Kentucky who migrated across rough terrain to build new lives as free persons in a tiny town in western Kansas; or ordinary soldiers stationed far from home in places like Fort Larned; or parents of African American schoolchildren in Topeka who went to court to fight for equal education. The stories of these people are just as important as those of presidents and generals in describing what makes us Americans.

Each of us has our own story of our heritage, experiences, and ideals that contribute to the story of America. The National Parks of Kansas are asking seventh and eighth grade students from across the state to tell their own stories of personal experiences, family sagas or community histories and explore how their own stories connect with the stories preserved at the National Parks. Students can choose from written, artistic, or technology-based media to tell their stories and compete for a cash award and a chance to tell their story on an episode of KTWU’s Sunflower Journeys television program for themselves and also win video recording equipment for their schools. All students who submit an entry will receive recognition in the form of a certificate and a National Parks Passport book.

About the contest:

• Eligibility- The I, Too, Am America student contest is open to all seventh and eighth grade students in the state of Kansas.
  
  
• Themes- The following five themes are common to the stories represented by the five National Parks of Kansas. All student submissions must address one of these themes in relating their stories regardless of the media chosen to express the student's ideas.
  
• • Living between two worlds: The National Park Service at Fort Larned National Historic Site preserves and interprets the stories of soldiers and families living "between two worlds"--the western frontier of the United States and along the northern boundary of Mexico--as they passed through Native American lands. Have you ever felt "between two worlds?" How were these worlds similar? How were they different? How did this experience affect or influence the situation or beliefs of those who lived through it?
    
    
  • Overcoming hardship: In the 1830's and 1840's American Indians living in the eastern United States were forced to leave their homes for a new life in permanent Indian territory (now Kansas and Oklahoma). Fort Scott National Historic Site tells the hardships of these people as they struggled to make a new life in a new land. Did your ancestors or your family struggle through a difficult time? How did these people work together to overcome the difficult events?
    
    
  • Building community: Nicodemus National Historic Site relates the stories of former slaves who left the South to build new lives on the western frontier. It took cooperation between all the citizens of the new town for their community to be successful. Describe an experience when you or others worked together to make a better situation for all those involved.
    
    
  • Seeking fairness and justice: Ordinary parents of schoolchildren in Topeka worked together with lawyers and other supporters to seek equal education for their children even if it meant some sacrifice on their part. The National Park Service at Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site preserves and retells their stories. When did you or someone you know seek fairness in a situation? How was justice achieved?
    
    
  • Migration stories: Immigrants from Europe traveled across the Atlantic Ocean and far beyond the shores of the United States to settle on the prairies and Flint Hills of Kansas in the late 1800s. The National Park sites in Kansas, particularly Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, remember and interpret the stories of these immigrants and others who sought a new life on the frontier. Did your ancestors or family migrate from another country or another region of the United States to settle in Kansas? What happened during their journey? How was the adjustment to the new location?
    
    
• Media Categories: Students may select from any of the following media categories to create their entry. Each student will address one of the themes described in the section above. Only one entry per student will be accepted.

• Timeline:
  
  May 8, 2009- Date by which all student entries must be received.
  May 15, 2009- Announcement of five winners.
  May 15-25, 2009- Representatives from the National Park Service will travel to each winner's community to present the awards.
  June-August, 2009- Student winners travel to designated National Park sites in Kansas to film documentary videos of their stories and Sunflower Journeys episode.
  
  
• Judging Criteria:

• Awards:

• How to enter:

• Contact Information:
  
  Please fell free to contact Linda Rosenblum, contest coordinator, at (785) 354-4273, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, if you have any questions. Questions may also be emailed to Linda Rosenblum by clicking here.
  
  If you would like a Park Ranger to visit your school to present more information on the contest, please contact Linda Rosenblum at the phone number and email link above.
  
  
• For more information about the National Parks in Kansas:
  
  Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
  Fort Larned National Historic Site
  Fort Scott National Historic Site
  Nicodemus National Historic Site
  Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve