Dear High School Student:
Hi! The Genealogy Committee of the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society would love to see you do a research and writing projected related to family history. To encourage you, we have established an annual competition with two cash prizes. We love to read the stories and other results of such research and writing and hope you too will find a project like this exciting and rewarding.
Your family may or may not have its history recorded and or published. Your extended family may be small in numbers. Perhaps no one ever spoke of his or her past. Family stories may not have been passed on to you. These are some of the hindrances you may encounter in researching your family history. Don't be discouraged. Approach as many people in your family and ask them for their stories. Turn to long-time family friends, and to written accounts about the times and places your family lived in.
Someone may have researched your family comprehensively and published a book about them. While this may appear to be a real asset, don't rely on it too heavily. Try to do some of your own original research. Locate an old family Bible, a document that supports the family history you are writing. Interview family members and acquaintances yourself, rather than by extensively quoting someone else's work.
Put something of yourself into your research project: give freely of your opinions, mention insights that have come to you during your work; and state your speculations regarding your topic you now feel informed enough to make. Use photographs both in your research and final presentation. What story does a historic photograph tell?
As already mentioned, the purpose of the competition is to encourage writing and publication of research in family history. Be sure to use correct, acceptable, formal, written English. It is always a good idea to ask someone to review your written family history paper, before you submit it for the competition.
Good luck in researching and writing. We look forward to receiving your submission.
Sincerely,
Chair
MMHS Genealogy Committee
P.S. The official contest rules and regulations are also on the web at:
www.mmhs.org/plett.htmReturn to the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society Home Page