As part of the Santa Barbara Public Library/National Endowment for the Arts Big Read of Tim O’Brien’s novel The Things They Carried, The Independent is sponsoring an essay contest. The contest will have two divisions, one for high school students and one for veterans. Entries will be accepted from Friday, October 25-Friday, November 8, and the winners will be published in The Independent and invited to read aloud at a public ceremony. For full details on the entry process, visit sbplibrary.org/sbreads.