Congratulations on behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the United States Institute of Peace.

As a state-level winner in this year's National Peace Essay Contest you will receive a $1,000 scholarship and an all-expenses-paid trip this June to Washington, D.C.

While in Washington (June 22-27) you will join other state winners in meeting with senior U.S. government officials, members of Congress, foreign embassy officials, and other experts directly involved in the making of American foreign policy.

At the end of the week, you and all of the state winners will be honored at a special awards banquet where the winners of the national first-, second-, and third-place scholarships will also be announced.

To learn more about activities being planned for the Awards Week, please click on one of the icons below to watch a special video we have created for you. In addition, in the next couple of days you will receive in the mail a packet with important information about your award and your trip to our nation's capital.

Once again, I am pleased to congratulate you on your achievement and hope you'll be able to join us and represent your state at the upcoming awards program here in Washington.