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My best bicycling experience was. ...

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, along with the League of Illinois Bicyclists and Trek Bicycle Corp., are sponsoring a bicycle safety essay contest for fourth- and fifth-graders in Illinois.

The essay must be no more than 100 words and begin with: "My best bicycling experience was. ..." The essay also must must include at least one bicycle safety element, such as wearing a helmet, signaling, observing stop signs, red lights and other traffic laws.

In a letter to Illinois elementary school principals, White wrote: "Children under age 15 account for nearly 40 percent of all bicyclist injuries. By educating our youngsters about the importance of bike safety, we can help prevent injuries and even save lives. Participation in this contest is a creative way to make our youth more aware of safe bicycle operation and the bicycle rules of the road."

The winners of the state contest in each grade will receive a Trek 820 mountain bike. Second- and third-place winners will receive a bicycle helmet.

I know nearly all of you who read this blog are too old to enter the contest, but I'm challenging you to write a similar essay and post it in the comments below. Like the state of Illinois contest, you must write no more than 100 words and begin the essay with the words "My best bicycling experience was. ..." The essay also must must include at least one bicycle safety element, such as wearing a helmet, signaling, observing stop signs, red lights and other traffic laws.

As an incentive, I'm offering a prize for the best essay. The winner receives his or her choice of one free registration ($30 value) for the 2008 Tour de Stooges on Saturday, May 3, in Highland, Ill., an equivalent amount ($30) of Stooges memorabilia or a $30 gift certificate for a bicycle store of your choice.

The essay will be judged by me. Like the state essay contest, essays entered in my contest will be judged on creativity, originality, grammar and conformity to contest rules. Essays must be written as comments on this post. The deadline for essays will be 11:59 p.m. CST Sunday, Feb. 3. The winner will be announced Feb. 10.

For the duration of this contest, I'm not allowing anonymous posts on the blog to help me identify the winner.

Good luck and start writing!

Labels: essays, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 1 comments 9:09 PM

Comments:

My best bicycling experience was when I came to a complete stop at a red light and adjusted my helmet while signaling for a left turn...

Just kidding, but I'll see what I can do this weekend.

# posted by  Jennifer : 11:25 AM

 

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