ATHENS, Ohio -- High school juniors and seniors across Ohio will participate in the first round of Ohio University's 56th Annual American History Contest this month.

The multiple-choice test will be completed by students at their local schools. First-round winners will be announced in November.

Those eligible for the final round of competition, a three-question essay exam, held on the Athens campus Dec. 5, will include the highest scorer in Ohio's 88 counties, all scorers in the 99th percentile or the second and third highest scorer in at least the 95th percentile from each county.

First prize is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to Ohio University and $100. An additional 14 scholarships and over $600 will be awarded in the contest. Top-scoring students in the preliminary and final rounds will also receive a copy of Associate Professor of History Kevin Mattson's new book "Intellectuals in Action: The Origins of the New Left and Radical Liberalism, 1945-1970."

Outstanding High School Awards of $150 and $100 will go to the top two schools in three categories - small, medium and large high schools -with the largest number of winners in the contest's two rounds. They will also have the ability to award an Ohio University scholarship to a student at that school.

Ohio University's College of Arts and Sciences, History Department and Admissions office sponsor the contest.