National Scholarship Competition Launches Online - $250,000 Up For Grabs - Now Debate This - The Great Debate '08

Now Debate This! is a national scholarship competition taking place this summer. Sixteen high school juniors will be selected to spend their summer studying the lives and legacies of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Then they will debate who the better President was. The Top Two will debate live--online and maybe on television--for a $150,000 scholarship. The losing finalist will walk away with a $50,000 scholarship.

Nashville, TN (PRWEB) April 24, 2008

Now Debate This! is a national scholarship competition taking place this summer. Sixteen high school juniors will be selected to spend their summer studying the lives and legacies of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Then they will debate who the better President was. The winner will receive a full scholarship to the college of their choice. Check it out at http://www.nowdebatethis.com

All sixteen finalists will receive $3,500, a new laptop and new video camera.

The Top Two will debate live--online and maybe on television--for a $150,000 scholarship. The losing finalist will walk away with a $50,000 scholarship.

Become a contestant, and your life could be changed forever. Find out how to enter at http://nowdebatethis.com

WHAT IS IT
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln 2008: The Great Debate is a chance of a lifetime! It's a scholarship competition...a community outreach project...a road trip...a journey through time. It's the best summer job out there. Finalists will get paid to learn about our country and travel across it. They'll also have a chance to win a $150,000 scholarship. All you have to do is win this debate: Who was the better President? George Washington or Abraham Lincoln?

The 16 finalists will win $3,500 dollars and spend their summer with George and Abe plus get their own brand new laptop and video camera.

Here's what the finalists will explore:

• The principles of America's founders, tracing them from George's time in the 1700's through Abe's presidency in the 1800's, through the 20th Century, right through today, the 21st Century.
• The quest for freedom and how it challenged the Constitution both during the Civil War and today.
• The experiences of George and Abe as Commanders in Chief.
• How faith played a role in George and Abe's lives.
• Interview your family, your friends, strangers on the street, your pet python...check out what Washington and Lincoln still have to "say," after all these years. Job 1 is getting people all over the world to talk about our two greatest presidents.

HOW TO ENTER
To enter the contest applicants must be a junior in high school, and submit a 2-3 minute video application of themselves answering one the following questions;

• What is the most important duty of the President as commander in chief, and why
• What does 'patriotism' mean to you?
• What can the Declaration of Independence tell us about life in 2008?

Applicants will upload their video to YouTube and then fill out the application on the website: http://nowdebatethis.com

THE TIMELINE (all dates are 2008)
May 19th: Applications Due

June 3th - 16th: Contestants and 4 Alternates, and parents/guardians will be notified

June 18th: The first webisode airs, announcing the 16 finalists LIVE at National History Day finals in Washington DC! 8,000 people will be watching in person, with millions more at home

June 19th - July 25th: The final 16 will discover George and Abe in their own home communities, developing theories about the Presidents' and their lives, engaging people all over the world with their ideas. Viewers can keep track online, getting to know their favorite debater! Here's how Now Debate This will support each of the finalists:

a) Each student will receive scholarly support throughout the project, allowing students to explore on their own while accessing top-notch experts.

b) Each student will receive in-depth research materials about the Presidents that will help them with their summer jobs.

c) Now Debate This is a highly- interactive learning environment, all with adult supervision.

July 26th - August 9th: Don't leave your computer! Stay tuned as the finalists hit historical sites around the country including Washington DC, Springfield, IL, and Philadelphia! Follow their adventures, and catch their daily blogs and videos as they prepare for the biggest debate of their lives. August 9, contestants go head to head as judges and viewers narrow the field from 16 to two!

September 15th - 30th: The Final Debate. This will be a one night only-date, to be announced soon. The two remaining contestants debate LIVE online or possibly on TV! In this final round, the public will judge who walks away with four years of college--free.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are the two most visionary and accomplished leaders in United States history. Even after 200 years, they can "tell" us about what it means to stand for honor, face amazing odds, refuse to accept any substitution for victory, overcome betrayal and be a good citizen in the best country in the world.

Contestants will give Washington and Lincoln a voice in today's culture, talking about what they accomplished in their time and place, and how that can apply to life in 2008. Washington and Lincoln '08: The Great Debate intends to engage 16 high school students, and through their exploration, let these two Presidents speak to us today.

Contestants will develop your own leadership skills and inspire others around the world to join in as you explore the principles of America's founders, tracing them from George's time in the 1700's through Abe's presidency in the 1800's, through the 20th Century, right through today, the 21st Century. The quest for freedom and how it challenged the Constitution both during the Civil War and today. The experiences of George and Abe as Commanders in Chief. How faith played a role in George and Abe's lives.

NOW DEBATE THIS! - http://nowdebatethis.com
BuzzPlant is an internet and new media marketing and consulting company. Their clients include Twentieth Century Fox, Time Life, Thomas Nelson, INO Records, Universal Records, and many more. http://www.buzzplant.com

Contact: info(at)buzzplant.com

###