To encourage young students to learn more about their city’s past, the Mesa Historic Preservation Board is sponsoring a historical fiction writing contest.

The competition is open to all fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students regardless of whether they attend public, private, charter or home school, according to a release.

There is also a video contest for all sixth-12th graders living in the city of Mesa.

Both contests allow students to learn more about Mesa’s history while practicing their writing or video skills as they create a fictional story around a historic event in the city. The contest is open until March 31.

This year, students may choose from one of three topics:

• Hollywood in Mesa: Explore the history of movies filmed in Mesa or famous residents and celebrities who lived in Mesa.
• Historic neighborhoods: Visit a historic Mesa neighborhood, explore its history and compose a written or photographic essay about your experience.
• Storytelling: Write a story about Mesa’s history from the perspective of someone who lived it and is telling the story back to you.

Students may also choose to conduct an oral history interview of a Mesa citizen aged 60 or older who grew up in Mesa and recount his or her story.

Each essay or video must reflect the student’s own research, original thinking and writing or video skills. Entry forms and essays or videos can be sent to dawn.dallman@mesaaz.gov. Entries can also be submitted by mail to: City of Mesa Historic Preservation Office, City of Mesa, P.O. Box 1466, Mesa, AZ 85211-1466.

Essays or videos must be delivered or postmarked on or before the contest deadline of March 31, 2022. They will not be returned to the author as they become property of the Mesa Historic Preservation Board.

Every contestant will receive a certificate of participation. There will be cash awards given to the first ($50), second ($30) and third ($20) place contest winners in each category. Mesa City Council will recognize the top three essay writers and video creators.

Go to mesaaz.gov/residents/historic-preservation-office/writing-video-contest for more information and to obtain an entry form.