Balloon festival seeks flag-themed essays
The QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, in association with PNC Bank, is inviting New Jersey students in second through 12th grades to take part in the 11th annual PNC Bank American Patriot Essay Contest by writing a short essay on the topic “What the American Flag Means to Me.”
The essays must be 100 words or less. Winning essays will be selected based on creativity, poignancy and clarity, with consideration given to the grade level of the contestant.
All teachers in the state who submit a group of at least 15 essays on behalf of their students will receive two free general admission tickets to the festival, regardless of whether one of their students submits the winning essay.
The grand prize winner will receive a visit to his or her school by a 75-foot-tall hot-air balloon in June and a special VIP package to the 32nd annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning and music festival July 25-27 at Solberg Airport in Readington: a hot-air balloon ride for two; four Blue Sky Club VIP tickets; and the opportunity to meet one of this year’s concert headliners.
The winning student’s classmates will each receive a complimentary general admission ticket to the festival. The winning student’s teacher and school principal will each receive two Blue Sky Club VIP tickets.
Second and third place prizes consist of festival admission and merchandise.
Entries should be submitted by May 2 to Essay Judges, QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, 363 Route 46 West, Suite 200, Fairfield, NJ 07004. Students can also enter at www.balloonfestival.com or by emailing their essays to information@balloonfestival.com.
Entries should include the student’s name, home or school address, home or school phone number, grade, age, school name and the name of their teacher.
