The Robert H. Jackson Center, in partnership with Ehmke Manufacturing Co., Inc., developed an essay contest series to engage middle and high school students in civic education while connecting the values of athletics. Each year, students will be invited to reflect on a different theme related to civic responsibility, leadership, fairness, and rule of law. The 2026 theme is Playing by the Rules: Fairness and Justice in Sports and Society

The contest emphasizes teamwork, fairness, and courage, values athletes practice daily and encourages students to apply those lessons to citizenship and democracy. It intends to foster critical thinking, leadership development, and thoughtful writing, helping students see the connections between being a good teammate and being an engaged citizen.

The program is designed for middle and high school students in Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania – specifically Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Warren Counties. The goal is to connect with students in and around the area where Howard Ehmke spent his formative years - with targeted outreach to athletic programs, coaches, and student athletes. 

This year essays must be submitted via our website by March 27. More information including prompts, eligibility requirements, and judging rubric can be found at: https://www.roberthjackson.org/ehmke

Winners will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on May 14 at 6 p.m. at the Jackson Center. First place winners will receive an engraved plaque, a Jackson Center and Ehmke swag bag, and public recognition, along with a $1,000 stipend for educational use (high school division) or $500 stipend (middle school division). Second and third place finishers will be honored with a swag bag, printed certificate, and public recognition. All participants will receive a commemorative bookmark and digital certificate.

To learn more about the extraordinary local, national, and international contributions of Robert H. Jackson, the public is invited to visit the Center from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday for free tours at 305 East Fourth St. in Jamestown. Donations are welcome to support the free programs the Center provides to all ages throughout the year. The Robert H. Jackson Center is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the legacy of Robert H. Jackson and our vision of a global society where the universal principles of equality, fairness and justice prevail.

Ehmke Manufacturing Co., Inc. operates out of Philadelphia today. Since 1929, Ehmke Manufacturing Company, Inc. has designed and fabricated a diverse range of technical fabric products for the U.S. Armed Forces, its Allies, the Defense Industry, Commercial OEMs and a host of industrial applications.

Howard Ehmke was a professional baseball player born in Silver Creek. He spent 15 years in the MLB playing for the Buffalo Blues, the Detroit Tigers, the Boston Red Sox, and the Philadelphia Athletics. He is best known for his surprise start in Game 1 of the 1929 World Series, which his team, the Philadelphia Athletics, won as well as taking the series. Ehmke hung up his pitching glove in 1930. 

Before he even retired, in 1925, Ehmke had developed a large canvas tarp that could cover sports fields when there was inclement weather. Credited as the inventor of field tarps, Ehmke created his company to manufacture them and sold his first tarp to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925.