Press Releases
February 26, 2010
Preservation & Pride Focus Of This Place Matters Essay Contest
BARTLESVILLE, OK – Price Tower Arts Center, in cooperation with the Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise, announces an essay contest for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in the Bartlesville area. The contest, entitled This Place Matters, focuses on community pride, local history and preservation of historic sites. It also provides an opportunity to encourage reading and writing skills among students.
Students taking part in the contest can choose from one of three sites for the subject of their essays: Frank Phillips Home, Price Tower Arts Center or Woolaroc. All three entities are looking forward to working with the students.
“The Frank Phillips Home is a strong supporter of educational venues for students of all ages,” said Frank Phillips Home Executive Director Jim Goss. “This contest allows us to support the local teachers as they meet PASS objectives for the year, while providing the students a fun and relevant way to demonstrate their mastery of those PASS objectives.”
Those who have helped develop the program say it is never too soon to start students thinking about preservation and what matters in their community.
“If we wait until adulthood to try to educate people about the importance and relevance of preservation, we have waited too long. Great buildings have been torn down in the past because of a lack of understanding of the importance of preservation,” said Woolaroc Executive Director Bob Fraser. “I always stress 
the fact that there are no second chances when it comes to a Woolaroc, Price Tower or the Frank Phillips Mansion. If we fail at our task of taking care of these treasures, we will never see their greatness again.”
A panel of volunteer judges will select a first, second and third place winner for each of the three sites. The winners will be awarded U.S. savings bonds with face amounts of $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place. All contestants will receive a certificate of recognition. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony on April 19th. The keynote speaker for the event will be Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society.
“In our society, we do a great job of rewarding achievements in athletics and even in performing arts. I wanted to find a way to encourage literacy and 
especially good writing skills, which are so important in achieving career success in today’s employment market. This Place Matters essay contest tells young students that literacy matters, too,” said Price Tower Arts Center Director of Operations Laura Riley, who is also the project manager for the essay contest.
In addition to the prizes, the Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise will be publishing as many of the essays as possible. Contest rules and entry forms will also be printed during the run of the contest.
“We are very pleased to be able to work with the Examiner Enterprise on this project,” said Price Tower Arts Center Marketing Manager Debra Woodall. “The support they have granted the essay contest is immeasurable and I’m sure it will mean a lot to the students who may see their essays in print.”
This Place Matters is also being made possible through the support of a number of other sponsors including Arvest Bank, the Daybreak Rotary Foundation, the Bartlesville Noon Rotary Club, the Frank Phillips Club, Bank of Oklahoma and Career Employment Service. Additional support has been provided by the Bartlesville Convention & Visitors Bureau, McDonald’s, Sonic and Chili’s. The program’s curriculum advisor is Wilson Elementary Principal Sandra Kent.
Frank Phillips Home, Price Tower Arts Center and Woolaroc are working in collaboration with Bartlesville Public Schools, the Bartlesville History Museum and the Bartlesville Public Library to reach students. Contest learning stations will be placed at each location. From March 1st through April 5th, contestants and an accompanying adult will receive free admission to the three historic sites.
Information about This Place Matters is available at all of the collaboration sites and online at pricetower.org.
About Price Tower
The landmark destination for art, architecture and design, Price Tower Arts Center, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit, provides local, regional and global audiences with the experience of great art, architecture and design in an arts complex whose centerpiece is Frank Lloyd Wright's only skyscraper, the Price Tower.
This National Historic Landmark building, completed in 1956, contains a museum with permanent and changing exhibition galleries; original and restored historic Wright interiors (available by tour); and The Wright Place museum store.
Visitors may also experience Wright's masterpiece as guests of Inn at Price Tower, a high-design hotel that the Arts Center has created within Wright's skyscraper, along with the Inn's eclectic Copper Bar.
Historic tours are available with advanced reservations. Admission is $10 adults, $8 seniors (65+), $5 students and children 16 and under and includes admission to the museum exhibitions (tax not included as may be applicable). For more information, the public may call 918.336.4949 or visit the web site at www.pricetower.org.
