Students and Historic Preservation

The American Planning Association (APA) encourages high school juniors and seniors to explore historic preservation.

Each year, the APA sponsors a contest requiring high school students to look at critical planning issues in their communities and to write an essay under prescribed guidelines. This year, the 100th year of the American planning movement, the focus is on history.

Students are asked to investigate their community history, interview a preservationist and a planner, select an area of preservation, determine threats to its continuation, and to develop options for preserving the area, including the continued functionality of historic buildings and sites.

Student Instructions and essay criteria are detailed and include examples from past winners. Teacher Resources guide educators in developing learning modules on historic preservation planning in their communities.

College scholarships to the school of their choice for $5000 are offered to two first-place winners: one from public school; the other from private. Ten other students receive honorable mentions of $100 gift certificates to the APA bookstore, PlanningBooks.com