In celebration of the Nation’s 250 birthday, the Colonie 250 Committee is hosting an essay contest about what life was like for residents in the area during the American Revolution. All students, grades 6-12, in the Town are welcome to participate and prizes will be awarded for the top 3 essays!
For more information about how to participate, contact the Colonie 250 Committee at colonie250@townofcolonie.gov.
Prompt
In 1776, the area that is now the Town of Colonie was primarily farmland and laid within the bounds of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck. What do you think it meant to be a citizen of this area at the time of the American Revolution? What does it mean now in 2026? Consider how people made their living, their relative freedoms, and how they thought of themselves.
Guidelines for Submissions
- Participant must be a Middle or High School student and resident of the Town of Colonie.
- The essay must be fully sourced, with citations following the MLA style guide and a complete Works Cited page at the end.
- Total word count must be no more than 3,000 words, not including title, headings, page numbers, and citations.
- Essay must be submitted via email to colonie250@townofcolonie.gov in Word or PDF format with subject line reading “Colonie 250 June Essay Contest Submission” .
- Participant must include their first and last name, school, grade level, phone number (theirs or a guardian’s), and email in the body of their submission email.
- Use of AI for any reason is strictly prohibited. Any paper found to have been written by or using AI will be disqualified.