THE WOODLANDS, TX (MAY 29, 2012) – "What is your favorite moment in American history and why it is important to you?" That is the question University of Phoenix is asking students as part of the annual Red, Hot & Blue Little Firecracker Essay Contest.

The winners will be announced at this year's Red, Hot & Blue Festival, produced by The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, in Town Green Park on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. All students ages 5-18 are eligible to participate.

"For the third year, University of Phoenix is providing students with the opportunity to express their patriotism in a fun and unique way," said Christina Robinson Grochett, University of Phoenix State Vice President for Texas. "The essay contest has proven to be a great way to engage students and we are proud to continue supporting the educational initiatives such as the Red, Hot & Blue Firecracker Essay Contest."

One Grand Prize Winner will receive a weekend stay at The Woodlands Resort, local restaurant and retail gift certificates, activity giveaways, and the opportunity to read his or her essay on stage at the Red, Hot & Blue Festival.

One First Prize winner from each age category will receive local retail and restaurant gift cards.

In addition, each participant will be automatically entered in a prize drawing that includes a one night stay at a hotel in The Woodlands, gift cards to restaurants and other giveaways to be announced.

To enter, contestants must submit a 150 to 200-word essay "describing what their favorite moment in American history and why it is significant to them." All entries must be double-spaced in 12-point font or handwritten in ink, double-spaced with a cover page including the contest title, name, age, grade, mailing address, phone number, email and Guardian's signature verifying the child's original work. Students are asked to include their name on the cover page only, not the essay.

Entries must be hand delivered to The Woodlands University of Phoenix Learning Center at 24624 I-45 North, Spring, Texas 77386 (south of Rayford/Sawdust on the Northbound I-45 access road). Entry deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, June 22, 2012.

A committee from University of Phoenix will judge the entries based on originality, style, content, spelling, grammar and neatness in different age categories including: 5-6; 7-9; 10-12; 13-15; and 16-18.

For more information on the Little Firecracker Essay Contest, visit the Red, Hot & Blue Festival website at www.redhotblue.org or call 281-363-2447. "Like" The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VisitTheWoodlands , "follow" them on Twitter www.twitter.com/TheWoodlandsCVB  and "view" them on YouTube www.youtube.com/TheWoodlandsCVB. 

About The Woodlands

Located just 30 minutes north of Houston, Texas and minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, The Woodlands is an emerging destination for leisure guests, individual business travelers and groups of all sizes.  Visitors to The Woodlands enjoy more than eight million square feet of world-class shopping, dining and entertainment options, more than 194 miles of hike-and-bike trails, the 1,700-acre Mitchell Preserve, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and kayaking on The Woodlands Waterway, Lake Woodlands and 124 parks. The Woodlands features world-class golf and was the home of the Shell Houston Open for 17 years. The Woodlands also is home to more than 1,500 guestrooms in upscale and boutique properties, select service, limited service, conference and convention centers and a resort.