The United States embassy in Sofia has announced the 2012 Presidents’ Day student essay contest. 

The third Monday in February is a federal holiday on which day Americans honour presidents of the US. The holiday was originally called Washington’s Birthday in honour of the first American president; Abraham Lincoln’s birthday also falls in mid-February.

Participants must be enrolled at high school or university, studying and residing in Bulgaria, the embassy said in a statement on the contest. Each participant can enter the contest with up to two works, thematically dedicated to one of the following areas:
 
·        Presidential Elections
·        A letter you would send to President Plevneliev and/or President Obama, if you had the chance
·        George Washington
·        Abraham Lincoln

Works should be created especially for the contest and must be in English.
 
Contestants should email their essays to the US embassy in Sofia at Sofia_Essay@state.gov no later than February 29 2012. Please include in the email the name, age, high school or university of the author, as well as a telephone number where the author can be reached.
 
Works will be reviewed by a group of judges, and winners will receive certificates and prizes. 

The winners will be announced on the Facebook page of the US embassy and on its website. All questions on the contest should be directed to Sofia_Essay@state.gov

By entering a work, authors and their parents grant rights for use of their works to the US. embassy and the American Corners, including use of the works for promotional materials, the embassy said.