Announcing  the Sixth Annual Fracchia Prize for
San Francisco  high school students

Original Research and Writing  about San Francisco History

The San Francisco Historical Society is excited to announce the Sixth Annual Fracchia Prize competition.  It is open to any student attending a high school in San Francisco. Interested candidates are required to submit an essay consisting of between 1,200 and 1,600 words, or a five-to-seven-minute multimedia presentation, based on the prompt below. Read all rules, guidelines and submission instructions here. Please note, the application form is submitted here: https://forms.gle/k2TRbM8kbHmCGgQD7

Charles A. Fracchia (pronounced FROCK-ee-ya) was founder and President Emeritus of the San Francisco Historical Society.

PROMPT:

How does the history of my neighborhood affect my life today?

Over time, San Francisco’s distinct neighborhoods have helped to shape its inhabitants in more ways than most people imagine. Since its beginnings as a small fishing village of 50 people (known as Yerba Buena) with outposts in the Presidio and Mission, the City grew, and neighborhoods eventually formed, merged, changed and reformed over the centuries. As of today, the San Francisco Planning Department officially identifies 36 neighborhoods. And
with that, each neighborhood has its own distinct history and characteristics.

The 2025 Fracchia Prize contest invites you to write about your neighborhood’s history and how that has shaped your life today.

Deadline for Submission: April 13, 2025

First Place: $2,500

Second Place: $1,500

Third Place: $1,000

Deadline for Submission: April 13th, 2025

Click Here for Application and Guidelines

All entries will be judged by a panel looking for strong research and writing skills, creative choice of topic, accurate information, and the possible use of primary and secondary sources. Winners and their history teachers will attend a special ceremony to receive their awards.

CASH PRIZE AWARDS!

First Place – $2,500 and publication of the work in The Argonaut and the SFHS website

Second Place – $1,500 and publication of the work in Panorama and the SFHS website

Third Place – $1,000 and publication of the work in Panorama and the SFHS website

All entries will be judged by a panel looking for strong writing skills, well-chosen monuments, accurate information, proper citations, and the possible use of primary and secondary sources.

Winners will attend a special ceremony to receive their awards.