The Carbon County Republican Club is hosting the 2011 Lehighton Area Presidents Day essay and drawing contests.

The drawing contest is open to all elementary-level school children in public, charter, parochial, or home schools, who reside within the limits of the Lehighton Area School District. Each contestant should submit one original artistic drawing, in color or black and white, and on paper not any larger than 18-inches by 24-inches. The drawing must depict one of the following subjects: The founding fathers and the Constitution; or King George of England and General George Washington.The essay contest is open to all middle and senior high school level children in public, charter, parochial or home schools, who reside within the limits of the Lehighton Area School District. Each contestant must submit one original, unplagiarized and unassisted essay of 500 words or less. The essay must be on one of the following subjects: Why the American people thought it was necessary to break from English rule, and establish their own new state and federal governments; How the new form of government they created was better than or different from older forms of government; or Why the founding fathers designed "checks and balances" between branches and levels of government such as between the states and federal government.All entries must be labeled with the full name, grade level, and school address of the contestant, and signed by the contestant. All entries will be judged by a panel of teachers and members of the sponsoring organization.The winner of the drawing contest will be awarded a $100 bond and the winner of the essay contest will be awarded a $150 bond.Entries must be submitted to a teacher or other personnel at each school where they will be held until they are collected after 2 p.m., on Feb. 18. Other entries, not picked up at school, must be received by mail or hand delivered, no later than 3 p.m., Feb. 21, at the office of the Carbon County Republican Committee, 198 S. First St., Lehighton.For more information, call (570) 656-1721, Monday through Friday; or (570) 280-5358 between 6 and 9 p.m.; or e-mail

celticdusk.g@gmail.com.