Those spearheading this month's first Thomas Jefferson Day in Jefferson City hope the celebration will bring attention to the former president's accomplishments and the city's namesake.
Organizers and sponsors of the first Thomas Jefferson Day, set for April 30, said they hope residents learn not only about Thomas Jefferson and his accomplishments, but also about the role he played locally.
"I think it's to give respect and honor to the namesake of our city for his governing principles and impact on the country, this region and the state of Missouri," Ward 2 Councilman Rick Mihalevich said.
Mihalevich started a Thomas Jefferson Day committee earlier this year and hopes to have the celebration annually.
Jefferson City officials, businesses, organizations and schools are hosting an essay and multimedia presentation contest to celebrate Thomas Jefferson's 275th birthday and the city's namesake, in which students must answer the question: "Why Thomas Jefferson should matter today?" There will be a celebration at 6:30 p.m. April 30 at Avenue HQ, 621 E. Capitol Ave. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
Jefferson City middle school and high school students can submit essays and multimedia presentations through Friday - Thomas Jefferson's birthday. Students can submit entries to Mayor Carrie Tergin at 320 E. McCarty St. or via email to [email protected].
The four winning essays and multimedia presentations - two from high school and two from middle school - will be presented at the celebration at Avenue HQ. There will also be other entertainment that night, such as a Thomas Jefferson performer Patrick Lee.
The winners will win $275 and a bust of Thomas Jefferson.
The essays must be 750-1,000 words long, typed and double-spaced. Multimedia presentations should be a three-to five-minute PowerPoint or YouTube video and must stand alone without the author. Entries must have appropriate references, citations or bibliography, along with a title page that has the student's name, school, address, phone number, and parents' or guardians' emails.
In August, the Jefferson City Budget Committee approved $1,000 for the celebration for this fiscal year.
The city, the Jefferson City Cultural Arts Commission, the News Tribune, the Historic City of Jefferson, Jefferson Bank and Schulte's Fresh Foods are sponsors of Thomas Jefferson Day.
Jayne Dunkmann, vice president and director of marketing at Jefferson Bank, said Jefferson Bank decided to sponsor Thomas Jefferson Day not just for the history but also for its own namesake.
"For Jefferson Bank, you could say we're either named after the city or you could say we're named after Thomas Jefferson," she said. "We're proud of having Thomas Jefferson as part of our namesake for Jefferson Bank, so it was really an opportunity for us to be involved."
Residents can learn from most historic figures, not just Thomas Jefferson, Dunkmann said.
"Anytime we have someone that has 275 years of history under their belt, I think there is something we can learn about from that person, whether it's Thomas Jefferson or someone else that had a significant role in the beginning of our country," she said. "There's always something from our history that we can reflect on today that has made us the city we have become today."