Breaking Barriers | Scholastic

The Breaking Barriers Essay Contest is a chance for students from all backgrounds in grades 4–8 to share their personal stories and show how they use Jackie Robinson’s values to face their own barriers.
Contest Deadline: February 21, 2012

A trip to the 2012 Major League
Baseball® All-Star Game®: Grand Prize
Laptop computers for students and teachers
A class visit from Sharon Robinson
30 winners of an MLB Club Prize Package

Prizes Info 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

By Mail:
Download the contest entry form and
submit by mail. Mail entries must be
postmarked by February 21, 2012.

Online:
Each student can upload his/her entry
online. (Parent/Guardian will be asked to
give permission to enter online.)
Online entries must be received by February 21, 2012.

Materials align with national standards in
language arts, social studies, and math.

View Book List

Generously sponsored by
Major League Baseball®

Click here for more info on your favorite MLB® team. For more information on Breaking Barriers, visit:
MLB.com/BREAKINGBARRIERS

Photos: green turf background, © Martin Diebel/Getty Images; Major League Baseball players, courtesy MLB; past winners, courtesy MLB; Jackie Robinson with bat, © Bettmann/Corbis; mail and mailbox, © Lew Robertson/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images; girl at computer, © Margot Petrowski/iStockphoto; Jackie Robinson holding Sharon, courtesy Robinson Family; Jackie Robinson sliding into base, © AP Images.

RULES: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. All students who are legal residents of the United States and Canada (excluding Quebec) and who are currently enrolled in grades 4–8 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). Visit www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers for complete Official Rules. Limit one entry per person. 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.

1. Write an essay about a barrier that you have faced. Explain how you faced this barrier by using one or more of Jackie Robinson’s Nine Values:

courage
persistence
justice

determination
integrity
commitment

teamwork
excellence
citizenship

2. On mail-in entries, include the following information:

student’s name
school name
student’s grade
school city/state
teacher’s name
name of your favorite Major League Baseball team (to be eligible for the MLB Club Prize Package). Only one team to be included per entry:

Arizona Diamondbacks
Atlanta Braves
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Colorado Rockies
Detroit Tigers

Florida Marlins
Houston Astros
Kansas City Royals
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers
Minnesota Twins
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Oakland Athletics

Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
St. Louis Cardinals
Seattle Mariners
Tampa Bay Rays
Texas Rangers
Toronto Blue Jays
Washington Nationals

For information required in connection with online entries, see Official Rules.

3. Each essay should be at least 200 words long and not exceed 700 words in length. Limit one entry per student. All essays must be factual and based on the student's real-life experience. Fictional stories will be disqualified.

Online entries will also be subject to the Scholastic.com Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.