The Patrick Webb Essay Competition 2010-2011: Students Tackle Life Issues (from www.bcptl.org)

The first topic in the Patrick Webb Essay Competition for grades 11-12 secondary students follows from the decisive defeat this year of Bill-384, which would have legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada . What dangers, the students are asked, might have emerged if the bill had been passed. The second topic for the senior secondary students indicates that a number of legislatures in North America are considering “window on the womb” laws that would requite women thinking about abortion to first witness ultrasound pictures of their unborn babies. What, the students are asked, do you think might be the benefit of such laws? Studies have already suggested that such pictures can cause the mother to bond with the child she is carrying.

Students entering the B competition for grades 9-10 will discuss the curious law in B.C. that since 2001 has prevented access to any significant information about abortion being released to the public. Thus, those interested in the subject, including those doing research, are blocked from finding out how many abortions, there have been, where they occurred, what were the ages of mother and child, the reason for the abortion, and so on. The law would seem to be unique to B.C. and difficult if not impossible to defend in a modern democracy. A second topic quotes columnist George Jonas, writing in the National Post, to the effect that while many see abortion as a question of a woman’s right over her own body the issue obviously involves not only her right but that of her preborn child.

THE PATRICK WEBB ESSAY COMPETITION – 2010-11

COMPETITION A

The competition is open to grade 11 or 12 B.C. secondary school students, and is designed to encourage students to recognize the dignity of every human life.

 

First Prize                                                         $300

Second Prize                                                     $200

 ESSAY TOPICS (600-700 WORDS):  CHOOSE ONE.

Topic 1. Bill 384, which would have legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada, was defeated in the House of Commons on April 21, 2010 by a vote of 228 to 59. Many people in the country breathed a sigh of relief including many handicapped citizens. What dangers do you think might have emerged if the bill had been passed?

Topic 2. Writing in Time magazine (June 1, 2009), columnist Nancy Gibbs noted that a number of U.S. states were considering enacting “window to the womb” laws that would require women thinking of having abortions to first witness ultrasound pictures of their unborn babies. What do you think might be the benefits of such laws?

 The deadline for essays to be received is December 15, 2010 at the following address:

The Patrick Webb Essay Competition

P.O. Box 37521

North Vancouver , B.C. V7M 2H0

 

Each essayist will be sent a copy of the names of the winners by the end of March 2011.

The essays will be judged by experienced educators.

 RULES OF THE PATRICK WEBB ESSAY COMPETITION (2010-11)

COMPETITION A

 

 1.  The essayist must be a B.C. secondary school level student in Grade 11 or 12 and must submit a completed ENTRY FORM.  Otherwise the essay may not be marked. No entrant may submit more than one essay.

 

2.  The essay must be the result of the essayist's own efforts.  The essayist may be guided in preliminary planning and may be directed to appropriate sources.

3.  Quotations and copyright material must be identified in the footnotes.

4.  The essayist's name and school identification must NOT appear anywhere on the essay pages other than on the ENTRY FORM.

5.  The title (i.e., topic) of the essay must be stated at the top of the first page and each subsequent page must be numbered.

6.  The essay must be in English, either handwritten in ink or typed by the essayist on one side of each page, and double-spaced.

7. Correct English, including spelling and punctuation, is expected as well as legible handwriting and neatness.

 

8.  Essays must be received at the address below by the last postal delivery on

December 15, 2010:

The Patrick Webb Essay Competition

P.O. Box 37521

North Vancouver , B.C. V7M 2H0

9.  The essays then become the property of the sponsors of the competition with the right to edit and publish. Essays will not be returned. Essayists must keep copies of their essays.

10. Judges' decisions will be final.

 

(to be stapled to top left-hand corner of essay.)

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ENTRY FORM - THE PATRICK WEBB ESSAY COMPETITION – 2010-11

COMPETITION A

NAME: (Print)________________________________/______________________________

Surname Given name(s)

 

DATE OF BIRTH:_________/_____________/______________/_________

Day                          Month                      Year

 

NAME & ADDRESS OF SCHOOL:______________________________________________

 

 

ADDRESS OF ESSAYIST (INCLUDING POSTAL CODE) AND TELEPHONE:

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

The Patrick Webb Essay Competition

P.O. Box 37521

North Vancouver , B.C. V7M 2H0

 

Published source materials on essay topics available on request.

Phone: (604) 984-9094 or e-mail   nspl@shaw.ca

Also visit websites www.thesignalhill.com, www.lifecanada.org, www.lifesitenews.com

THE PATRICK WEBB ESSAY COMPETITION – 2010-11

COMPETITION B

The competition is open to grade 9 or 10 B.C. secondary school students, and is designed to encourage students to recognize the dignity of every human life.

 

 

First Prize                                                         $300

Second Prize                                                     $200

 ESSAY TOPICS (600-700 WORDS):  CHOOSE ONE.

Topic 1. Writing in the National Post (June 4, 2009), columnist George Jonas said that many people see abortion as a question to do with a woman’s right over her own body. That would be valid, Jonas added, if one were talking about smoking, diet, or liposuction, but abortion means controlling someone else’s body. Does biology seem to support Jonas’ argument?

Topic 2. In 2001 the B.C. Government enacted Bill 21, which specifically excludes access to abortion information. As a result there is no way of knowing how many abortions are being carried out in the province, what ages the women and preborn infants are, what reasons are given for the abortions and so on. What are the problems with this sort of secrecy?

 

The deadline for essays to be received is December 15, 2010 at the following address:

The Patrick Webb Essay Competition

P.O. Box 37521

North Vancouver , B.C. V7M 2H0

 

Each essayist will be sent a copy of the names of the winners by the end of March 2011.

The essays will be judged by experienced educators.

 

(to be stapled to top left-hand corner of essay.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENTRY FORM - THE PATRICK WEBB ESSAY COMPETITION – 2010-11

COMPETITION B

NAME: (Print)________________________________/______________________________

Surname Given name(s)

 

DATE OF BIRTH:_________/_____________/______________/_________

Day                          Month                      Year

 

NAME & ADDRESS OF SCHOOL:______________________________________________

 

 

ADDRESS OF ESSAYIST (INCLUDING POSTAL CODE) AND TELEPHONE:

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

The Patrick Webb Essay Competition

P.O. Box 37521

North Vancouver , B.C. V7M 2H0

 

Published source materials on essay topics available on request.

Phone: (604) 984-9094 or e-mail  nspl@shaw.ca

Also visit websites www.thesignalhill.com, www.lifecanada.org, www.lifesitenews.com, and www.catholiceducation.org