Scottish pupils compete for place at Michelle Obama dinner

Scottish schoolchildren are being offered the chance to attend a dinner with Michelle Obama via an essay competition.

The Hunter Foundation, a non-profit organisation set up by philanthropist Sir Thomas Hunter, is asking young people aged 5-18 to submit a short essay, video, picture or poem on the theme: ‘If I ruled Scotland the one thing I’d change to enable more young people to succeed would be… and why that’s so important.’

“We want to showcase the brightest talent in Scotland and the greatest ideas to support young people to be all they can be – no doubt young people know precisely what’s needed but are rarely asked, hence this challenge,” said Sir Thomas Hunter.

One winner will be offered a table at a dinner with former First Lady Michelle Obama in Edinburgh on 17th July. The table will seat 10 individuals, who must include an accompanying adult or teacher.

Entries should be emailed to to schools@thehunterfoundation.co.uk">schools@thehunterfoundation.co.uk by 22nd June. All of the entries will be published online.

Obama’s forthcoming memoir, Becoming, will be published in the UK on 13th November by Penguin Random House. The book, chronicling “how a little girl from the South Side of Chicago found her voice and developed the strength to use it to empower others”, will be published simultaneously in 24 languages.