Each year two prizes for the best essays examining a topic related to Asia written by high school students are awarded by the Mid-Atlantic Region/Association for Asian Studies (MAR/AAS). $350 is awarded for the best essay and $175 for the runner-up.  Prize recipients and their teachers will be recognized during the annual fall meeting October 25, 2003 at George Washington University inf Washington, D.C.

Papers may examine any of the cultures or countries of Asia from any disciplinary standpoint: history, anthropology, religion, economics, literature, political science, or art history.  Essays should be written on the basis of research and include a bibliography of sources used and cited.  Papers should not exceed 12 double-spaced typed pages exclusive of bibliography.

For consideration, 3 copies of the paper must by received prior to June 15 at the address below.  On a sheet accompanying the paper, should be the student’s name, address, and telephone number, the name and address of the applicant’s current school, the student’s grade level, and the name of the teacher under whose auspices the paper was prepared. Any e-mail addresses would be appreciated.

A panel of scholars and teachers selected will read each submission from the membership of MAR/AAS.  It will be judged on the quality of written expression, on the level of the writer’s demonstrated understanding of the topic, and on its scholarship. The best essay will be published in the MAR/AAS Asia Newsletter and will also be posted on the MAR/AAS web site, http://www.maraas.org  

The Asian Studies Essay Contest is supported by income from a fund established in memory of Marie G. Wanek, a scholar and teacher dedicated to Asian studies, and a former president of MAR/AAS.