Lighthouses of the Great Lakes (via YouTube) A photo tour of lighthouses of the Great Lakes.

Washington, D.C. - Operation Sail, the national non-profit organization that produces tall ship events commemorating patriotic American milestones, is sponsoring of an essay contest and an art contest in 2012 for high school students in association with the USS Constitution Museum, the National Maritime Historical Society, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. The prize, awarded in each of six ports, will be a ride on the Coast Guard tall ship Eagle. (See schedule on Fyddeye Events Calendar.)

OpSail has partnered with the Navy, Coast Guard, and navies around the world to commemorate the bicentennial of the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812. Some of the world’s largest sailing ships will sail into six major east coast ports from April through July, 2012.  Tall ships and navy warships will form up in parades of sail to begin week-long festivities this spring and summer in six cities: New Orleans, La., New York, Norfolk, Va., Baltimore, Boston, and New London, Conn.

Essay contest entrants will write a 1,000-word essay on one of three topics:

• The role of USS Constitution and the Navy in the War of 1812
• What the "Star-Spangled Banner" means to me
• The role of the Revenue Cutter Service in the War of 1812

Essays must be submitted as a Microsoft Word attachment in 12 point, Times New Roman font, double spaced, with one-inch margins. The entrant’s name, email and port of interest must appear on the top right-hand corner of the front page. Essay entries should be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Art contest entrants must submit a copy of their original watercolor, oil, or pencil drawing/painting, no greater than 18 inches x 18 inches depicting one of three topics:

• What the "Star-Spangled Banner" means to me
• A maritime scene from the War of 1812
• A revenue cutter is action during the War of 1812

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An international parade of ships will sail into Baltimore on June 13 for Star-Spangled Sailabration, the national launch of the three-year commemoration by the U.S. Navy and the State of Maryland of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the penning of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Star-Spangled Sailabration features seven days of free entertainment including ship tours, a Blue Angels air show, patriotic fireworks, memorial ceremonies and much more.

More than two dozen ships including U.S. Navy, British and Canadian warships and tall ships from countries including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States are expected to flank Baltimore's famed Inner Harbor during Star-Spangled Sailabration. The tall ships and naval vessels will offer free, daily tours from June 14 to June 18.

Other highlights of the festival include:

• Star-Spangled Air Show featuring the Blue Angels, the U.S.Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, on Saturday, June 16, and Sunday, June 17
• The Celebration of the American Flag event at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine on Saturday, June 16, complete with fireworks and concerts
• A Star-Spangled Festival at Martin State Airport featuring U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine and U.S. Coast Guard aircraft on display along with autograph opportunities with the Blue Angels pilots on Saturday, June 16, and Sunday, June 17
• A concert featuring the premiere of a new symphonic work on Sunday, June 17 at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Some of the war's greatest artifacts can be found in Baltimore, with more than 10 sites boasting a direct tie to the War of 1812. The Maryland Historical Society's With Broad Stripes and Bright Stars exhibit focuses on the "Rock Stars" of the War of 1812 and gives visitors a glimpse of the original version of Francis Scott Key's manuscript of "Defence of Fort M'Henry," which would later become our national anthem. The society will open a special new exhibit also dedicated to the "second war of independence" on June 10, just in time for Sailabration.

The festival winds down with the official 200th anniversary of the Declaration of War on Great Britain event and a celebration of two centuries of peace on June 18 followed by the Parade of Sail departure on June 19.

For more information on the event schedule, to reserve a hotel room or to purchase official merchandise, visit www.starspangled200.com. For more information on the national commemoration by the U.S. Navy, visit www.OurFlagWasStillThere.org. For more information about the tall ships 2012 tour, visit www.OpSail.org.

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Tall Ships for Sustainability (via YouTube) Tall Ships for Sustainability, featuring the Schooner Adventuress, explores the mission of tall ships dedicated to environmental education. From providing youth science stations to sustainably supporting a full-time crew, tall ships around the country are making a difference to conserve the marine environment. More information available on the Sailors for the Sea website.