The 2022 This I Believe Essay Program is underway now. National Public Radio Illinois (NPR 919 UIS) has sponsored this program since 2007 with support from numerous sponsors (see logo above) including The Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise and the State Journal-Register. The program invites high school seniors to write and submit an essay that expresses their beliefs that guide their lives. The essays are reviewed and finalist are selected. The Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise provides a scholarship to selected finalists. The State Journal-Register publishes the selected essays in the Newspaper, and NPR runs and streams recordings of the selected essayists reading their essays on their website (nprillinois.org, Community Voices tab). Covid-permitting there is also an evening live and live-streamed event where the selected essayists read their essays.
The essays are always heartfelt and reaffirming of the potential of the younger generation. If you know a high school senior, who would like to participate, guidelines and instructions are provided under the Community Voices tab on the NPR Illinois website at the link noted above. Essays are due on January 27, and finalists are selected in early February, essays are presented in the SJ-R (Feb. 18 and 25) and on NPR (Feb. 14-18, Feb. 21-25), and the evening event is slated for March 30.
Harry Mitchell has suggested that our Club might consider ways to partner for this exciting program.