The National Italian American Foundation has extended the deadline to submit an essay for its annual Christopher Columbus Essay Contest. Since 1996, NIAF has proudly joined with the National Christopher Columbus Association (NCCA) to sponsor an annual national essay contest on a topic related to Christopher Columbus for high school students of all ethnic backgrounds throughout the United States.

Three outstanding essays are chosen from amongst the submissions to win a cash prize. The first-place winner receives a $1,200 prize and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington to read the essay at the Columbus Day event in Washington. The second-place winner receives $500 and the third-place winner receives $300.

The contest is open to students in grades 9 through 12 in public, private, parochial schools, or to those who are home schooled. This contest is conducted without regard to race, religion, gender, or national origin.

For more information regarding the specific criteria of the essay and how to submit an essay, please visit this link.

The National Christopher Columbus Association's (NCCA) mission is to foster an environment for an open and academically sound dialogue on Christopher Columbus and the events and accomplishments that surround his name. Since 1989, the NCCA has been responsible for the annual Columbus Day event in Washington, D.C., which began in 1912. The Association is governed by a board of directors elected by its general membership, with officers chosen annually by the board.

For questions, please e-mail [email protected]