Becoming Human

WRITE A LETTER TO LUCY

Note: Deadline extended to December 31st, 2011!

Dear Students, Teachers, and Families,

My name is Lucy, also known as Dinkinesh in Ethiopia, where my 3.18 million-year-old fossil bones were found in Hadar by Donald Johanson, on November 24, 1974 (read why I was named Lucy). To the scientific world, I am Australopithecus afarensis.

This website—BecomingHuman.org—tells the story of how our species, developed along the evolutionary path to become the only species on earth to possess the ability to explore, discover, and speculate about its own past.

But, what makes us unique from every other living creature on this planet? Is it our creativity? Our ability to communicate? Our ability to reason and think things through? Use your creativity, ability to communicate clearly, and reasoning to write an essay to answer the question:

What makes us human and why?

Please submit your answer to this question as an essay, following the OFFICIAL RULES below.

General Guidelines

There are three grade-level categories:

For grade levels 3 through 5 (elementary level), the competition will be limited to schools or students in Maricopa County, Arizona, only. The essay should be 200 words or less.

For grade levels 6 through 8 (middle school level), the competition is open to all U.S. schools and students. The essay should be 500 words or less.

For grade levels 9 through 12 (high school level), the competition is open to all U.S. schools and students. The essay should be 1,000 words or less

The first-place winner in each grade-level category will receive a visit from Professor Donald Johanson to the student’s school (with the permission of the school) to personally congratulate the winner with a letter of recognition and an autographed copy of one of Professor Johanson’s books and to give a one-hour talk to the entire school about anthropology and human origins. The first-prize winner’s essay and photo will also be posted on BecomingHuman.org.

There will be one, second-prize winner recognized in each grade-level category. The second-place winner will receive a letter of recognition and an autographed copy of one of Professor Johanson’s books. The second-prize winner’s essay and photo will also be posted on BecomingHuman.org.

There will also be a third-prize category: eight essays in each grade-level category will receive a letter of recognition from Professor Johanson and their essay will be posted on the BecomingHuman.org website along with a photo of the student writer.

Remember:
1. Read the Official Rules below.

2. Parent or Guardian needs to sign Entry Form with Parental Consent.

3. Attach Entry Form to Essay—DO NOT put your name on the essay (to ensure fair judging)

4. DEADLINE EXTENDED TO DECEMBER 31, 2011. The competition begins August 15, 2011 and ends December 31, 2011. The essay and Parental Consent form must be mailed by 5:00 PST on December 31, 2011 and not before August 14, 2011.

I can’t wait to see what ideas you have about the qualities that we humans possess that make us such a unique species on earth!

Looking forward to receiving your entry,

LUCY

Download the Official Entry Form

Download a “Letters to Lucy” contest bookmark

Be sure to read the Official Rules.