Citizens Bank announces sixth annual writing contest to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Winning entries will be broadcast on WPXI-TV or WAMO-FMPITTSBURGH (November 1, 2006) - In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to celebrate Black History Month, Citizens Bank announced it will sponsor the sixth annual “Expressions of Freedom” writing contest open to all students from Pittsburgh Public Schools. Twenty-four students will be awarded $100 savings bonds from Citizens Bank. This year, participants once again will create 30-second broadcast public service announcements and winners will have the opportunity to produce their announcements and have them broadcast on WPXI-TV or WAMO-FM.
Citizens Bank is again partnering with Pittsburgh Public Schools, New Pittsburgh Courier, WPXI-TV and WAMO-FM to offer the popular contest.
“The ‘Expressions of Freedom’ writing contest is an opportunity for Citizens Bank and our partners to connect with the community in a way that is exciting, educational and fun,” said Ralph J. Papa, President of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. “We feel it’s our responsibility to join others in the community to help instill in today’s youth the qualities of fairness and equality that Dr. King worked so hard to bestow upon an entire nation.
“We believe the contest is a fitting tribute to a great American citizen, as well as a great opportunity for the students from Pittsburgh Public Schools to express themselves about some of the prevalent and important issues facing young people today,” said New Pittsburgh Courier Editor and Publisher Rod Doss. “If the hundreds of students who have participated in this contest over the last five years serve as any indication, and I believe they do, we can all take comfort in the intelligence, thoughtfulness and sense of community shared by these younger generations.”
Mark Roosevelt, superintendent, Pittsburgh Public Schools, said, “Educating our young people today truly requires the assistance and support of the entire community. We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Citizens Bank and all of our sponsors. Their support will give our students the opportunity to focus on values that extend beyond the classroom.”
“On behalf of the staff and management of WPXI-TV, we are honored to support this meaningful opportunity for Pittsburgh Public School students,” said WPXI-TV Vice President and General Manager Ray Carter. “The messages and values Dr. King conveyed more than 40 years ago still provide us a formula for overcoming the challenges and problems we, as a nation, face today. This essay contest will help our young people better understand Dr. King’s vision for equality and freedom.”
A judging panel comprised of Citizens Bank colleagues and local celebrities will select the 24 contest winning entries, eight each from the elementary, middle and high school levels. Each winning author will receive a $100 U.S. Savings Bond from Citizens Bank.
Winners’ names will be announced the week of December 18, 2006. A recognition event will be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16, 2007 at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. Portions of the winning essays will be broadcast on WPXI-TV and WAMO-FM throughout February next year in honor of Black History Month.
This year’s challenge is:
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream Speech” in Washington D.C. Using approximately 100 words, write a script for a 30-second public service announcement that demonstrates how you and other young people are putting Dr. King’s words into action and spreading his values of nonviolence and understanding throughout your community.
Entries must be postmarked no later than November 24, 2006 and sent to Citizens Bank Writing Contest, 525 William Penn Place, Suite 2840, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Each entry must include a student’s full name, grade and school name, home address and phone number, and teacher’s name.
More information may be obtained by contacting Beth Lackner at (412) 867-2455.
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a $36 billion state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has approximately 400 branches, more than 675 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 13 retail branches and 25 ATMs in southern New Jersey and a commercial loan office in Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $164 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,200 ATMs and 26,000 employees in a 13-state retail branch network and has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. Citizens is the eighth-largest commercial banking company in the United States ranked by deposits and ninth in assets as of March 31, 2006. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
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