The Anthony Wayne Free Press – a new online newspaper covering local businesses, government, schools, events, organizations, and community issues in the Anthony Wayne area as part of the nonprofit Toledo Free Press – is publishing a printed commemorative edition marking the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
We are running stories on local festivities, area civic organizations, local historical societies, and the significance of Gen. Anthony Wayne, as well as a series of community member-authored perspectives on the five freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment. Copies will be available for free around the AW community as well as published online.
We also would like to run essays submitted by young people in our area, including students from Anthony Wayne Schools, local homeschool students, and AW-area residents attending area parochial schools, academies, or online schools. The topics are:
What does it mean to be an American and how is that reflected in our local area?
What will our local community look like in another 50, 100, or 250 years from now?
The best essay on each topic from each grade/age category will be featured in the printed edition; others selected would run online at anthonywaynefreepress.com.
Grade/age categories are, by the end of June 2026:
- Middle/Junior High (approx. ages 10-14)
- High School (approx. ages 14-19)
Deadline is May 22, 2026. Target length is 500-600 words; essays will be lightly edited for newspaper publication. Submissions should include: topic question, author’s full name, age, grade level, school/homeschool, address, and parent contact phone number and email address. Only student name, grade/age, school, and town will be published.
Send completed essays with above information to Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer, Trustee, Toledo Free Press Board of Directors, at [email protected]. Questions? Call/text Rebecca at 419-429-9152.
