2025 WV Disability History Essay Contest, St. Albans, WV – The WV Disability History Essay Contest committee is proud to announce the return of the Disability History Essay Contest in West Virginia. The Disability History Essay Contest coincides with WV Disability History Week, the 3rd week in October, and is open to all WV high school seniors attending public or private schools. This annual contest is designed to reinforce Disability History Week in WV and provide WV high school seniors with an opportunity to share their knowledge of the Disability Rights Movement and what they have learned about disability issues in their community, showcase their writing skills, and perhaps to earn some money!
All WV High Schools will be sent entry forms for the essay contest next week. The entry forms can also be found on our website at www.wvsilc.org. Please share with your Seniors and encourage them to enter. There are six districts with a possible 1st and 2nd place in each district, plus a State winner. In addition to an award certificate, the authors of the winning essays will receive an engraved personalized key chain and a check for the amount of their award as follows:
State Winner – $3,250
District 1st Place Winners – $1,750
District 2nd Place Winners – $1000
The Disability History Essay Contest is a collaborative effort between the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (WVDRS), West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council (WVSILC), and State Rehabilitation Council (SRC), with cooperation from the West Virginia Department of Education.
Thank you to the high school principals, teachers and counselors for encouraging their students to participate. Thank you to all of the students who entered in past contests.
For more information on Disability History Week in WV passed by the WV Legislature in 2006, please visit https://wvsilc.org/legislation.
The winners and their essays will be featured in the Special Edition issue of the IL Edge, WVSILC’s quarterly newsletter. Please visit https://wvsilc.org/essay-contest for more information on the WV Disability History Essay Contest.
