The Robert H. Jackson Center, in partnership with Ehmke Manufacturing Company, Inc., has developed an essay contest to engage middle and high school students in civic education while connecting the values of athletics. Each year, students will be invited to reflect on a different theme related to civic responsibility, leadership, fairness, and rule of law.
The contest emphasizes teamwork, fairness, and courage, values athletes practice daily and encourages students to apply those lessons to citizenship and democracy. The contest will foster critical thinking, leadership development, and thoughtful writing, helping students see the connections between being a good teammate and being an engaged citizen.
The program is designed for middle and high school students in Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania - specifically Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Warren Counties. The goal is to connect with students in and around the area where Howard Ehmke spent his formative years - with targeted outreach to athletic programs, coaches, and student athletes.
Howard Ehmke was a professional baseball player who was born in Silver Creek, NY. He spent 15 years in the MLB playing for the Buffalo Blues, the Detroit Tigers, the Boston Red Sox, and the Philadelphia Athletics. He is best known for his surprise start in Game 1 of the 1929 World Series, which his team, the Philadelphia Athletics, won as well as taking the series. Ehmke hung up his pitching glove in 1930.
Before he even retired, in 1925, Ehmke had developed a large canvas tarp that could cover sports fields when there was inclement weather. Credited as the inventor of field tarps, Ehmke created his company to manufacture them and sold his first tarp to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925.
Ehmke Manufacturing Company, Inc. still operates out of Philadelphia today. Howard Ehmke is still beloved and honored by his hometown area today including an announcement of Howard Ehmke Day on July 13, 2025.
First Place:
Second Place:
Third Place:
All participants will receive a bookmark and a digital certificate of participation.
In sports, rules keep the game fair. In society, laws do the same. Robert H. Jackson believed the rule of law is essential to democracy. Write an essay comparing the role of rules in athletics to the role of laws in civic life. Why do fair rules matter? How should leaders, referees, or judges respond when rules are broken? What lessons can citizens learn from sports about justice and fairness?
Every game needs rules to be fair. Every community needs laws to be fair. Explain why rules matter in sports and in our country. How does following rules show respect for your team and community? What can you do to be a good teammate and a good citizen?
