2016 ESSAY contest
for grade 9

The Breaking Barriers Essay Contest is a chance for
diverse students in grade 9 to share their personal stories and show how they use Jackie Robinson's values to face their own barriers.
Contest Deadline: March 14, 2016

20 national winners in 2016!

Great Prizes Include:

Grades 4–6 Grand Prize:

  • Trip to the 2016
    MLB®All-Star Game®

Grades 7–9 Grand Prize:

  • Trip to a game of
    the 2016 MLB®
    World Series®
There are TWO ways to enter:

2015 Grand Prize Winner
Malcolm Venable of New Orleans, LA,
with Rob Manfred, Commissioner of
MLB, and Sharon Robinson

  • Laptop computer for each winner!
  • Class visit from Sharon Robinson,
    daughter of Jackie Robinson
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

There are TWO ways to enter:

By Mail:

Download the contest entry form and submit by mail.
Mail-In Entry Note: Mail-in entries must be postmarked by March 14, 2016.

Online:

Each student can upload his/her entry online. 

Online entries must be received by March 14, 2016.
Submit Your Essay Below!
We ask for your email address so that we can notify you if you are selected as a potential winner. We ask for your first name and a parent's email address so we can let your parent know you entered the contest. See our privacy policy for more information.
First Name
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Parents Email
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Photos: dirt background, © Paul Edmonsen/Photodisc/Getty Images; green turf background, © Martin Diebel/Getty Images; Major League Baseball players, courtesy MLB; mail and mailbox, © Lew Robertson/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images; girl at computer, © Margot Petrowski/iStockphoto; Jackie Robinson with bat, © Bettmann/Corbis; past winners, courtesy MLB; Jackie Robinson in Dodgers uniform, courtesy MLB, used with permission of the Robinson family; Jackie Robinson holding Sharon, courtesy Robinson Family.

Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. ARM & HAMMER, OXICLEAN and the ARM & HAMMER and OXICLEAN logos are trademarks of Church & Dwight Co., Inc., and are used under license.

RULES: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. All students who are legal residents of, and currently reside in, the U.S., D.C., and Canada (excluding Quebec) and who are currently enrolled in grades 4–9 are eligible to enter, except for those who have family members employed by Major League Baseball Properties, Inc., Scholastic Inc., and other related companies (see the Official Rules for a complete listing). All entries must be written in English. Visit www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers for complete Official Rules and restrictions. All prospective winners and their respective parents/legal guardians will be required to sign, notarize, and return an affidavit of eligibility/release of liability within ten (10) days of date of notification or an alternate winner may be selected. In the event of prize unavailability, a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded as determined by the sole discretion of MLB. No cash substitutions for prizes. Prizes are nontransferable. ERV of Prizes: Grand Prize ($7,659.70); MPV ($4,859.70); All-Star ($2,159.70).