Essay Contest 2012 – Leo Tolstoy

In the interest of cultural understanding and cooperation between our sister cities, the Albany-Tula Alliance is working with the Tula State Pedagogical University to sponsor our annual essay competition in the first quarter of  2012.

Students between the ages of 16 and 18 who are enrolled in a Capital Region high school are invited to participate. You do not have to know Russian, and there is no cost to enter.  Two winning essay contestants will be selected by our reviewers in April, and will travel with an Albany-Tula Alliance chaperone to Russia for ten days in September 2012.

How it Works

There will be four winners, two from the Capital Region and two from Tula.  The Capital Region winners will spend ten days in Russia in mid-September 2012, during which time they will attend the “Conference on the Life and Works of Tolstoy” at the Tula State Pedagogical University. They will also tour Leo Tolstoy’s country estate and other Tula historical sites, visit with students in their schools, and meet Tula residents in their homes. They will also have an opportunity to visit Moscow with their chaperone. The Albany-Tula Alliance is responsible for cover the costs of the Capital Region winners’ international travel, insurance, and passport and visa expenses.

Our Theme for 2012: Leo Tolstoy’s Influence

Leo Tolstoy was one of the most influential figures in 19th century Russia and remains an inspirational author to this day. He lived his latter years on his country estate Yasnaya Polyana just outside of our sister city, Tula, and the Lev Tolstoy Tula State Pedagogical University regularly hosts an international conference to discuss the significance of his ideas to modern global governance.

For this reason, we are tying this year’s conference to Leo Tolstoy’s influence on modern ideas. The theme of the essay you will write is: Citing specific examples from Leo Tolstoy’s short stories, describe his influence on the thought of world leaders. You can learn about these works through your local library.

Essay Requirements

Your essay must be typed and double-spaced on 8.5 x 11 paper and have a font size of 12 (Times New Roman or equivalent).  There should be no more than 1,500 words or the equivalent of five (5) typed pages (not including a page listing the Leo Tolstoy works you are citing.) It should be constructed as follows:

• Introduction: A thesis statement that explains the subject matter and theme of the essay.
• Body of Essay: Compose your arguments and support your theories with research and analysis.  Provide in-text citations, footnotes or endnotes to credit reference sources.
• Conclusion: Summarize your research and analysis and present your conclusions.  Be sure to include how your data and conclusion support your original thesis statement.
• Works Cited: List the Leo Tolstoy works you are citing.

Deadlines and Submissions

Registration deadline: March 15, 2012. In order to participate in this contest, you must register by March 15, 2012. To do so, please complete the Student 2012 Essay Contest Registration Form and have a parent or guardian sign it. Then submit to our Administrator Mary Williams by email or fax (646) 329-9794. If you have any difficulties downloading and completing the form, please contact Ms. Williams by email or by calling 518-768-7010 no later than March 10th.

Submission deadline April 1, 2012: The deadline for receipt of essays is April 1, 2012. Those received after that date will not be accepted for consideration. To submit, please mail four (4) stapled copies of your essay and a copy of your registration form to:

Albany-Tula Alliance 2012 Essay Contest
5 Morningside Drive
Delmar, NY 12054