An essay and letter-writing contest to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II has been extended until December 18.

The competition, sponsored by the Office of Secretary of State’s Legacy Washington program, asks students in grades 8 through 11 to either write a letter to a veteran (living or deceased) or an essay describing what World War II means to them.

Essays/letters can’t be more than 500 words. Students turn in entries should include their teacher’s name, teacher’s score, student name, school name, grade and school district.

Winners from each of the four grades will be chosen by a panel of judges at the start of the 2016 legislative session. A winner from each grade will be selected and invited to a ceremony in Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s office and presented with a special certificate and a $100 gift card. Winning essays or letters will be posted on the Secretary of State’s website, featured in SOS publications and appear alongside the Washington Remembers exhibit, which focuses on Washingtonians who served in the war.

For more information about the contest, please go here or contact Legacy Washington’s Laura Mott at [email protected] or (360) 902-4171.