LOCAL HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BE HONORED

   RICHMOND, Va. (December 31, 2003) - Winners of the 11th annual America's First Freedom Student Competition will be recognized Friday, January 9, 2004, in Colonial Williamsburg. Free and open to the public, the evening's program will begin at 7:00 p.m., at Bruton Parish.
   In commemoration of the upcoming January 16th National Religious Freedom Day, the program will address the topic: "Religious Freedom - An Inalienable Right". Remarks will be offered by the competition's honorary chair, The Honorable Belle S. Wheelan, Secretary of Education, Commonwealth of Virginia, and The Honorable John Hager, Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness. Student winners will be featured and awards presented, and Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry will revisit their early debate for the establishment of religious liberty.
   Following the program, attendees will be led by torch and a fife and drums corps to the Williamsburg Inn for a dessert reception.
   Through essay, oratory and poster entries, 1,100 Virginia ninth through 12th grade students participated in the current school year's competition. Hosted annually by the Richmond-based Council for America's First Freedom, the America's First Freedom Student Competition offers Virginia's public, private and home-schooled high-school students the opportunity to compete for $1,000 first-place cash awards and $500 second-place awards.
   A Citation for Excellence is also awarded to other exceptional entries. In support of the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs), the annual competition promotes historical thinking and increased awareness of current events, while giving students the opportunity to grow in persuasive writing and speaking skills, or in their artistic expression.
   Student awards are presented in conjunction with National Religious Freedom Day commemorations. National Religious Freedom Day is proclaimed annually on January 16th by the sitting President of the United States.
For more information on the student competition, contact Sandra M. Poulsen at (804) 643-1786 or spoulsen@firstfreedom.org.
   

About the Council: The Council for America's First Freedom (CAFF) is a non-denominational, non-political, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Richmond, Va. Established in 1984, CAFF's mission is to champion religious freedom worldwide and to strengthen appreciation for Virginia's pivotal role in America's protection of this fundamental human right. Currently, CAFF is developing the First Freedom Center, a world-class facility that will offer a dynamic visitor experience with state-of-the-art, interactive exhibits exploring the development of religious freedom in America, and today's related national and international issues. In addition, CAFF sponsors the following annual initiatives: Presidential Proclamation of National Religious Freedom Day (January); First Freedom Awards; and the First Freedom Student Competition.