EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund has developed a scholarship essay contest for Michigan high school juniors and seniors to encourage our youth to research and reflect on the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the how those events have impacted the world.

Students who are seniors in high school this year were likely in the second grade when the attacks occurred. Most of them were between 6 and 8 years old. School history curriculums have tended to focus more on the War on Terror and less on the 9/11 attacks, however as these young people become adults, their understanding of the 9/11 events will shape their responses to global conflict and violence in the coming years and decades. Knowledge of the events will also inform their attitudes toward national and global policies.

For these reasons, the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund wants to encourage high school students to analyze the 9/11 attacks and the various responses to the events. Over time, the Fund will compile the best submissions into collections of essays that will provide a record of how our youth view the terrorist attacks and their impact on our nation and world.

A $500.00 scholarship will be given for the best essay, $300.00 will be awarded to the second place essay, and honorable mention award of $200.00 will go to the third best essay. The final deadline for submissions is January 1, 2012. All essays must be 1000 words or less. Students wishing to submit an essay should review the contest rules on the Michigan Remembers 9-11 website at MichiganRemembers.org. Questions about the contest can be directed to Susan Moriarty at the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund at michiganremembers@gmail.com or at (517) 333-6984.

The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund was founded in 2006 by World Towers attack survivor Patrick Anderson and his friend Scott Watkins. The Fund memorializes those with ties to Michigan whose lives were lost on September 11, 2001, and those who risked their lives to aid those affected by the tragedy.