Preservation Kentucky partners with the Kentucky Heritage Council to engage Kentucky 's students in historic preservation through the Photo-Essay Competition. The contest has been held each year since 1999. Photo-Essay Contest entries should be thoughtful and creative essays about the importance of preserving and reinvesting in Kentucky 's historic resources for future generations. For the competition, students should photograph a historic building or structure in their community and then write an essay describing the historic resource and explaining its significance while keeping with the yearly theme.

The Kentucky Heritage Council and Preservation Kentucky hope that the Photo-Essay Competition will stimulate young people's interest in historic preservation and will provide an opportunity for students to interact with their local decision-makers (mayors, city council / commission members, county judge/executives, magistrates, etc.) regarding the importance of historic preservation. As part of the competition, students are required to submit a copy of their essay to at least one local decision-maker in addition to judges.

The Kentucky Heritage Council and Preservation Kentucky, Inc. will select first, second, and third place essays from three categories:

Primary (Grades 1-5), Intermediate (Grades 6-8), Secondary (Grades 9-12)

Also, the school submitting the most entries each year will also be recognized and presented with an award for participation.

Photo-essay winners will receive cash awards and other prizes and all competition participants will receive a certificate of recognition. Photo-essay winners will present their winning essays and photographs and will be recognized at a celebration each May.