essay contests high school 2021

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 17 best writing contests for high school students.

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If you're a writer—fiction, non-fiction, or fanfiction—you can put those skills to work for you. There are tons of writing contests for high school students, which can award everything from medals to cash prizes to scholarships if you win .

Not only will a little extra money, whether cash or scholarships, help you when it comes time to pay for college, but the prestige of a respected reward is also a great thing to include on your college application.

Read on to learn more about what writing contests for high school students there are, how to apply, and what you could win !

Writing Contests With Multiple Categories

Some high school contests accept entries in a variety of formats, including the standard fiction and non-fiction, but also things like screenwriting or visual art. Check out these contests with multiple categories:

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

• Award Amount: $1,000 to $12,500 scholarships
• Deadline: Varies between December and January, depending on your region
• Fee: $10 for single entry, $30 for portfolio

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards celebrate art by students in grades seven through twelve (age 13 or older) on a regional and national scale. These awards have a huge number of categories and styles, including cash prizes or scholarships for some distinguished award winners . Categories include science-fiction and fantasy writing, humor, critical essays, and dramatic scripts, among others.

Deadlines vary by region (but are mostly in December and January), so use Scholastic's Affiliate Partner search to find out when projects are due for your area.

Scholastic partners with other organizations to provide prizes to winners, so what you can win depends on what you enter and what competition level you reach. Gold medal portfolio winners can earn a $12,500 scholarship, and silver medal winners with distinction can earn a $2,000 scholarship , as well as many other options in different categories.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are open to private, public, or home-schooled students attending school in the US, Canada, or American schools in other countries. Students must be in grades seven through twelve to participate. Eligibility varies between regions, so consult Scholastic's Affiliate Partner search tool to figure out what applies to you .

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards have a $10 entry fee for individual submissions and $30 for portfolio submissions, which may be waived for students in need . These fees may vary depending on location, so be sure to check your local guidelines .

Ocean Awareness Contest

• Award Amount: Scholarships up to $1,500
• Deadline: June 13, 2023 (submissions open in September)

The Ocean Awareness Contest asks students to consider the future of a coastal or marine species that is under threat from climate change. Submissions are accepted in a variety of art forms, but all must consider the way that climate change impacts ocean life .

Submissions for all categories, including art, creative writing, film, interactive and multimedia, music and dance, and poetry and spoken word are due in June, although the exact date varies slightly each year.

Winners may receive prizes of up to a $1,500 scholarship , depending on which division they fall into and what prize they win.

The contest is open to all international and US students between the ages of 11 and 18.

River of Words

• Award: Publication in the River of Words anthology
• Deadline: January 31, 2023

The River of Words contest asks students to consider watersheds—an area that drains into the same body of water—and how they connect with their local community. Students can explore this concept in art or poetry, with winners being published in the annual River of Words anthology .

Entries in all categories must be submitted by January 31, 2023. 

The River of Words contest is primarily for recognition and publication, as the website doesn't list any prize money . The contest includes specific awards for certain forms, such as poetry, some of which may have additional prizes .

The contest is open to International and US students from kindergarten to grade 12 (ages 5 through 19). Students who have graduated from high school but are not yet in college are also eligible.

Adroit Prizes

• Award Amount: $200 cash award
• Deadline: Typically April of each year

Sponsored by the Adroit Journal, the Adroit Prizes reward high school students and undergraduate students for producing exemplary fiction and poetry. Students may submit up to six poems or three works of prose (totaling 3,500 words) for consideration. Submissions typically open in spring .

Winners receive $200 and (along with runners-up) have their works published in the Adroit Journal . Finalists and runners-up receive a copy of their judge's latest published work.

The contest is open to secondary and undergraduate students, including international students and those who have graduated early . The Adroit Prizes has a non-refundable fee of $15, which can be waived.

YoungArts Competition

• Award Amount: Up to $10,000 cash awards
• Deadline: October 15, 2022; application for 2024 opens June 2023

Open to students in a variety of disciplines, including visual arts, writing, and music, the YoungArts competition asks students to submit a portfolio of work. Additional requirements may apply depending on what artistic discipline you're in .

Winners can receive up to $10,000 in cash as well as professional development help, mentorship, and other educational rewards.

Applicants must be 15- to 18-year-old US citizens or permanent residents (including green card holders) or in grades 10 through 12 at the time of submission . There is a $35 submission fee, which can be waived.

Fiction Writing Contests for High School Students

Many contests with multiple categories accept fiction submissions, so also check out the above contests if you're looking for places to submit original prose.

EngineerGirl Writing Contest

• Award Amount: $100 - $500 cash prize
• Deadline: February 1, 2023

This year's EngineerGirl Writing Contest asks students (though the name of the organization is "EngineerGirl," students of any gender may participate) to submit a piece of writing that shows how female and/or non-white engineers have contributed to or can enhance engineering’s great achievements. Word counts vary depending on grade level.

At every grade level, first-place winners will receive $500, second-place winners will receive $250, and third-place winners will receive $100 . Winning entries and honorable mentions will also be published on the EngineerGirl website.

Students of any gender from third to 12th grade may submit to this contest. Home-schooled and international students are also eligible.

Nonfiction Contests for High School Students

Like fiction, non-fiction is often also accepted in contests with multiple categories. However, there are quite a few contests accepting only non-fiction essays as well.

The American Foreign Services Association Essay Contest

• Award Amount: $1,250 to $2,500
• Deadline: April 3, 2023

The American Foreign Services Association sponsors a high school essay contest tasking students with selecting a country or region in which the United States Foreign Service has been involved at any point since 1924 and describe, in 1,500 words or less, how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals in this country/region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years .

One winner will receive $2,500 as well as a Washington D.C. trip and a scholarship to attend Semester at Sea . One runner-up receives $1,250 and a scholarship to attend the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference.

Entries must be from US students in grade nine through 12, including students in the District of Columbia, US territories, or US citizens attending school abroad, including home-schooled students.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Contest

• Award Amount: $100 - $10,000
• Deadline: January 13, 2023

The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage contest tasks students with writing an essay between 700 and 1,000 words on an act of political courage by a US elected official serving during or after 1917 , inspired by John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage . Each essay should cover the act itself as well as any obstacles or risks the subject faced in achieving their act of courage. Essays must not cover figures previously covered in the contest, and should also not cover John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, or Edward M. Kennedy.

One first-place winner will receive $10,000, one second-place winner will receive $3,000, five finalists will receive $1,000 each, and eight semi-finalists will win $100 each.

The contest is open to students in grades nine through 12 who are residents of the United States attending public, private, parochial, or home schools . Students under the age of 20 in correspondence high school programs or GED programs, as well as students in US territories, Washington D.C., and students studying abroad, are also eligible.

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

• Award Amount: $300 - $1,000 scholarships
• Deadline: February 19, 2023 (submissions open in November)

The SPJ/JEA high school essay contest , organized by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association, asks students to  analyze the importance of independent media to our lives (as of now, the official essay topic for spring 2023 is TBD) . Essays should be from 300 to 500 words.

A $1,000 scholarship is given to a first-place winner, $500 to second-place, and $300 to third-place.

The contest is open to public, private, and home-schooled students of the United States in grades 9-12 .

Playwriting Contests for High School Students

For those who love the stage, playwriting contests are a great option. An original play can earn you great rewards thanks to any of these contests!

VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition

• Award: Participation in professional development activities at the Kennedy Center
• Deadline: January 4, 2023 (Application opens in October)

The VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition asks students with disabilities to submit a ten-minute script exploring their personal experiences, including the disability experience . Scripts may be realistic, fictional, or abstract, and may include plays, screenplays, or musical theater.

All entries are due in January. Scripts may be collaborative or written by individuals, but must include at least one person with a disability as part of the group .

One winner or group of winners will be selected as participants in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Winners will have access to professional assistance in developing their script as well as workshops and networking opportunities.

This contest is open to US and international students in ages 14 to 18 . Groups of up to five members may collaborate on an essay, but at least one of those students must have a disability.

Worldwide Plays Festival Competition

• Award: Professional production in New York
• Deadline: March (official 2023 deadline TBD)

In the Worldwide Plays Festival Competition , students from around the world can submit an eight-minute script for a play set in a part of a neighborhood —specifically, at a convenience store, outside a character's front door, or at a place where people convene. Each play must have roles for three actors, should not have a narrator who isn't also a character, and should not contain set changes.

Entries are due in February. Winners will have their play produced by professionals at an off-Broadway New York theater . Scholarships are also available for winners.

Any student, including US and international, in first through 12th grade may submit work for consideration.

• Award Amount: $50 - $200 cash prize
• Deadline: 2023 deadline TBD (application opens January 2023)

Students may submit a one-act, non-musical play of at least ten pages to YouthPLAYS for consideration . Plays should be appropriate for high school audiences and contain at least two characters, with one or more of those characters being youths in age-appropriate roles. Large casts with multiple female roles are encouraged.

One winner will receive $250, have their play published by YouthPLAYS, and receive a copy of Great Dialog , a program for writing dialog. One runner up will receive $100 and a copy of Great Dialog.

Students must be under the age of 19, and plays must be the work of a single author.

The Lewis Center Ten-Minute Play Contest

• Deadline: Spring of each year

Students in grade 11 may submit a ten-minute play for consideration for the Lewis Center Ten-Minute Play Contest . Plays should be 10 pages long, equivalent to 10 minutes.

One first-prize winner will receive $500, one second-prize winner will receive $250, and one third-prize will receive $100.

All entries must be from students in the 11th grade .

Poetry Writing Contests for High School Students

For those who prefer a little free verse or the constraints of a haiku, there are plenty of poetry-specific contests, too.

Creative Communications Poetry Contest

• Award Amount: $25
• Deadline: December

Students in ninth grade or below may submit any poem of 21 lines or less (not counting spaces between stanzas) for consideration in the Creative Communications Poetry Contest .

Students may win $25, a free book, and school supplies for their teacher .

Public, private, or home-schooled US students (including those in detention centers) in kindergarten through ninth grade may enter.

Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize

• Award Amount: $500-$1500
• Deadline: November 

Students in 11th grade may submit up to three poems for consideration in the Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize . Submissions are due in November .

One first-prize winner will receive $1500, one second-prize winner will receive $750, and a third-prize winner will receive $500. Poems may be published on arts.princeton.edu. All entrants must be in the 11th grade.

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

• Award Amount: $500 - $5,000 renewable scholarship, $350 cash prize
• Deadline: October 31, 2022

Women poets who are sophomores or juniors in high school may submit two poems for consideration for the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest .

One first-place winner will receive a $350 cash prize, publication in and ten copies of Cargoes , Hollins' student magazine, as well as a renewable scholarship of up to $5,000 for Hollins and free tuition and housing for the Hollinsummer creative writing program. One second-place winner will receive publication in and two copies of Cargoes, a renewable scholarship to Hollins of up to $1,000, and a $500 scholarship to attend Hollinsummer.

Applicants must be female students in their sophomore or junior year of high school .

What's Next?

If you're looking for more money opportunities for college , there are plenty of scholarships out there— including some pretty weird ones .

For those who've been buffing up their test scores , there are tons of scholarships , some in the thousands of dollars.

If you're tired of writing essays and applying for scholarships, consider some of these colleges that offer complete financial aid packages .

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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United States Institute of Peace

Information session on the 2021 national high school essay contest.

Webinar for Educators

Are you a high school student, or know one? Each year, USIP partners with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest . The deadline for this year’s National High School Essay Contest is April 5th. The 2021 topic, “Diplomats and Peacebuilders: Powerful Partners,” challenges students to look at how United States Foreign Service Officers—or diplomats—partnered with peacebuilders to mediate or prevent violent conflict in a specific situation.

Public Education at USIP and AFSA offered this information session for anyone interested in the contest and this year’s topic. Students, teachers, and parents were encouraged to attend to learn more and get their questions answered.

• Phone: (617) 993-4823

• June 3, 2021

10 Writing Competitions for High School Students in 2021-2022

Are you an aspiring novelist, a hobby writer, or a burgeoning poet? Have you tried your hand at nonfiction essays or playwriting? If so, you might be a great candidate for a national, regional, or state writing competition for high school students. Although specifics of each competition vary widely, these are usually great opportunities to showcase your talents, win some scholarship money, and buff up your writer’s resume. You might even get the chance to publish your work in a major journal or literary magazine or gain a mentor.

Here are ten writing competitions with deadlines during the 2021-2022 school year that you can start preparing yourself for right now. While most of these competitions are only for U.S. citizens, some are open to international students as well. Check each competition’s webpage for more information.

Genres: Nonfiction, Novel, Play or Script, Poetry, Short Story, Spoken Word

Award: Up to $10,000 and national recognition

Eligibility: US citizens and permanent resident/green card recipients in grades 10-12 or

15-18 years of age on December 1, 2021

Fee: $35 (waivers available)

Deadline: October 15, 2021 at 11:59 pm EST

YoungArts is one of the most prestigious artistic competitions in the country, encompassing a wide variety of disciplines and forms. Through this competition, the National YoungArts Foundation identifies the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, and performing arts, and provides them with creative and professional development opportunities throughout their careers.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Award: Up to $10,000 and national, state, and/or regional recognition

Eligibility: Grade 7-12 or 13+ years old

Fee: $7 per individual, $25 per portfolio (waivers available)

Deadline: December 2021/January 2022 (depends on region)

The Awards give students opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. Students across America entered nearly 230,000 original works in 2021 in 28 different categories of art and writing.

The American Foreign Services Association Essay Contest

Genre: Nonfiction

Award: Up to $2,500 an all-expense paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at

Eligibility: U.S. citizens in grades 9-12 or whose parents are in the Foreign Service

Deadline: TBD; Likely spring 2022

Although details for the 2021-2022 contest are not yet available, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)’s National High School Essay Contest encourages students to think about how and why the United States engages globally to build peace, and about the role that diplomacy plays in advancing U.S. national security and economic prosperity.

VFW Voice of Democracy

Award: Up to $30,000 in scholarships

Eligibility: U.S. Citizens in grades 9-12

Deadline: October 31, 2021 at midnight

Established in 1947, our Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. Each year, nearly 64,500 9-12 grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than $2 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program. All student entries must be submitted to a sponsoring local VFW Post.

Bennington Young Writers Awards

Genres: Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry

Award: Up to $500 and potential scholarships at Bennington College

Eligibility: U.S. and international students in grades 9-12

Deadline: November 1, 2021

Bennington launched the Young Writers Awards to promote excellence in writing at the high school level. All entries must be original work reviewed, approved, and sponsored by a high school teacher. Winners’ works will be published on Bennington’s website.

YouthPlays New Voices One-Act Competition

Genre: Playwriting

Award: Up to $250 and publication by YouthPlays

Eligibility: Unpublished plays by playwrights younger 19 or younger

Deadline: Submissions open January 2022, deadline likely in May 2022

YouthPLAYS, the publisher of challenging, entertaining plays and musicals for schools, youth theatres, universities, community theatres, and professional theatres for young audiences, hosts an annual New Voices competition for unpublished, non-musical one-acts between 10-40 minutes in length. Specific details for this year’s contest will be announced at the beginning of next year.

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

Genre: Poetry

Award: Scholarships to Young Writers Workshop, publication

Eligibility: Grades 10 & 11

Deadline: Submissions open November 1-30, 2021

Hosted annually by the Kenyon Review, the Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize was created in 2007 to recognize outstanding young poets. The Kenyon Review also hosts a Short Fiction and Short Nonfiction competition yearly for a wide variety of authors.

Center for Environmental Literacy — River of Words

Award: Recognition and publication

Eligibility: Grades K-12 and/or ages 5-20

Deadline: December 1, 2021 for U.S. students, except in GA or AZ

February 1, 2022 for international students and students in GA or AZ

This free, annual, international youth poetry and art contest — the largest in the world — inspires children ages 5 to 19 to translate their observations into creative expression. Submit original poetry around the theme of the contest: “watersheds.”

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Award: Up to $10,000

Eligibility: U.S. citizens in grades 9-12

Deadline: TBD, likely early 2022

The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage . This is a great fit for any student interested in government, politics, or history.

The Concord Review

Genres: Nonfiction, historical research

Award: Potential to win The Emerson Prize

Eligibility: Work completed while you were a high school student

Deadline: Rolling basis

The Concord Review was founded in March 1987 to recognize and publish exemplary history essays by high school students in the English-speaking world. Although this is not a traditional writing competition, it offers students the opportunity to publish their historical research and gain recognition throughout the academic year. Outstanding submissions may even receive the Emerson Prize, an award named after essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. The entry fee is steeper than most, but it comes with a year-long subscription to The Concord Review.

What are you waiting for? Polish your submissions and share your work today. If you’re looking for help editing your work or college admission consulting services , don’t hesitate to set up a free consultation today.

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HSFSA Essay Contest

The HSFSA is working with the American Foreign Service Association to provide a free essay contest to help high school students prepare for AFSA's National High School Essay Contest .

Having the same policies, the same judges, and a similar topic structure, this contest provides the perfect opportunity for students to master the ways to success in the main contest.

Winners Announced!

The High School Foreign Service Association would like to thank all students who participated in the organization's first essay contest! The judges were impressed by the quality and diversity of the submissions. All participants received their judge scoring sheet, which gave specific comments and scores regarding the quality of the submission as well as offering advice for improvement. The top 15 students also took part in a feedback webinar, learning about how to approach diplomacy-themed essays, how to structure their work and research, and much more.

We would like to congratulate:

Owen Wu from Walton High School for receiving 1st place

Olivia Schwab from Oswego East High School for receiving 2nd place

We would also like to give special recognition to the HSFSA chapter at Arroyo High School for having the greatest number of participants originating from a single school.

The HSFSA would like to express gratitude to the American Foreign Service Association for its assistance with judging, sponsoring, and organizing the essay contest, and we look forward to conducting more essay contests in the future.

Contest Info

• $200 gift card
• A copy of Inside a U.S. Embassy , signed by Ambassador Eric Rubin - the President of the American Foreign Service Association
• $100 gift card
• Judge feedback webinar - speak to the judges to learn how to improve your essay for the main contest!

Prizes are the courtesy of the American Foreign Service Association.

Contest Dates

Submissions open: October 13, 2022 (10:00 AM ET)

Submissions closed: November 6, 2022 (11:59 PM ET)

Results annnounced: November 21, 2022 (10:00 AM ET)

Eligibility

Participants must be students enrolled in grades 9-12 in a U.S. high school or an equivalent.

It is not required for a student to be part of an HSFSA chapter or any other organization to participate.

Participation is completely free.

Contest Rules

Topic: Select one form of diplomacy (i.e. economic, cultural, public, etc.) and discuss how it has evolved in the past 100 years. Feel free to select a country or region to use as an example or case study.

Length: Your essay should be no shorter than 500 and no longer than 750 words (not including the title and sources)

Sources: Standards of content and style from current edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers will be expected for (1) documentation of sources in the text of your essay; (2) the format of the list of works cited; and (3) margins and indentation. A bibliography following the MLA Handbook must be included.

Fill out the submission form below. All fields on the online form are required, including uploading a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) file of your original work with a title, in English which should include a comprehensive list of sources consulted. Entries must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman or an equivalent font with a one-inch margin on all sides of the page. It is advised that you have your teacher/sponsor review your essay before submitting it.

Additional Resources

• Department of State

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• Foreign Affairs Internships and Other Foreign Service-Related Opportunities
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• Awards & Honors

2021 High School Essay Contest Winning Essay

You are here, in this section, diplomats and peacebuilders in tunisia: paving the path to democracy.

BY MARIAM PARRAY

On December 17, 2010, Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest against corruption and mistreatment by police. This resulted in a wave of civil unrest and demonstrations known as the Jasmine Revolution, which sparked the various movements of the Arab Spring (Yerkes). While other revolutions in the region caused violent conflicts and were unsuccessful in bringing about the intended changes, the uprising began the ongoing democratization of Tunisia. Despite several issues threatening the nation’s stability, peacebuilding through partnerships with the United States Foreign Service has been successful due to the emphasis on democracy-building, the grassroots foundations, and the empowerment of marginalized groups.

The Tunisian Revolution was the culmination of several decades of citizens’ demands to have their voices heard in a transparent system. While the revolution was successful in removing President Ben Ali from power, the opportunity to create a functional democracy was hindered by the issues Ali’s dictatorial regime left behind. The government was beset with corruption, the interior and south of Tunisia were severely neglected, and political competition was restricted. Ennahda, an Islamist political movement, won Tunisia’s first post-revolution democratic election after years of secular rule under Ali. Consequently, social cleavages between secularists and Islamists grew more prominent, and the issue of how Ennahda would address women in the new constitution exacerbated tensions (Yerkes). In 2013, these divisions climaxed in a national crisis with massive demonstrations and assassinations. However, this threat to democratization was addressed by four civil society organizations, collectively known as the National Dialogue Quartet, which was able to mediate dialogue among parties, convince Ennahda to step down, and resolve issues in the constitution (Chan). This highlighted the fact that although progress towards democracy was made, corruption, unemployment, extremism, mistrust, and political fragmentation were still prevalent (Abouaoun). To address this fragility and strengthen its democratic transition, the US Foreign Service contributed economic aid and resources to Tunisia.

Former US President Obama and former Tunisian President Essebsi emphasized three priorities in American assistance to Tunisia: the creation of strong institutions and civil society; economic reforms and reduced unemployment; and increased military capacity and counterterrorism (“Helping Tunisia Realize Its Democratic Promise”). To address the first priority, USAID developed three programs focused on democracy and governance. One of these projects was the Supporting Youth and Empowering Local Communities Project (SHAREKNA), which promoted social cohesion and created an effective local conflict management system using local leaders and youth. To achieve this, SHAREKNA partnered with multiple NGOs and worked in Cité Ettadhamen, Douar Hicher, El Kef, Sidi Bouzid, and Souk Jdid (“Supporting Youth and Empowering Local Communities Project (SHAREKNA)”). The inclusion of local leaders and youth in the project was instrumental in establishing peace at every level. USAID also implemented the Tunisia Accountability, Decentralization, and Effective Municipalities Project, which aided in decentralizing Tunisia by strengthening municipal governance, boosting political participation, and improving trust in institutions. This project emphasized capacity building at a local level and partnered with thirty-one Tunisian municipalities (“Tunisia Accountability, Decentralization, and Effective Municipalities (TADAEEM)”). Lastly, USAID created a Domestic Election Monitoring program, which provided aid in holding fair, free, and transparent elections—a key part of democracy building. USAID was able to support the deployment of over 4,000 domestic observers for Tunisian municipal elections; increase voter education and registration in youth, women, disabled people, rural populations, and other marginalized groups; and improve media coverage on elections (“Domestic Election Monitoring – Tunisia (DEMT)”). Collectively, these three projects empowered local and marginalized communities and improved trust.

In addition to supporting institutions, the US Foreign Service provided support in growing Tunisia’s economy and private sector. Since 2011, the US has contributed over 1.4 billion dollars to support the democratic transition (“U.S. Relations With Tunisia”). A significant amount of this assistance focused on increasing entrepreneurship and reducing unemployment, especially among youth and women. For example, the US gave assistance to over 4,500 Tunisian youth in skill training, job placement, and other services. The US also partnered with multiple technology companies and eight local women’s organizations to offer entrepreneurship and leadership training (“U.S. Assistance to Egypt, Tunisia and Libya”). Furthermore, the Peace Corps arrived in Tunisia in 2012 to implement English language training and youth skills programs to prepare citizens for future employment.

Lastly, the US promoted peace in Tunisia by enhancing its security capabilities. The US provided Anti-Terrorism Assistance, financial aid for police reform, and equipment and training to the Tunisian military through the Foreign Military Financing program (“Fact Sheet: Enduring U.S.-Tunisian Relations”). These programs have ensured that extremism and neighboring conflicts do not impede the democratic transition and also increased civil-military cooperation.

Peacebuilding efforts in Tunisia have been supported by those of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). Since 2014, USIP has assisted the Alliance of Tunisian Facilitators (ATF)—a network of mediators and dialogue facilitators that focus on local conflict management. The project prevented violent extremism through empowering women in Douar Hicher, improved civil-military cooperation in Medenine through youth, and focused on conflict transformation between secular and Islamist student unions (“Alliance of Tunisian Facilitators (ATF)”). This program is deeply rooted in local communities, thus allowing for a grassroots approach. USIP also utilizes the Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding program in Tunisia, which has established connections between peacebuilders and nonviolent civic action practitioners to develop efficient methods of advancing shared goals (“The Current Situation in Tunisia”).

Finally, bilateral dialogue between the US and Tunisia has occurred on multiple levels and emphasized the dedication of both nations in their initiative for peacebuilding. In a joint statement, Obama and Tunisian Prime Minister Jomaa emphasized the commitment of their nations to foster peace, growth, and democracy (“Joint Statement by the United States of America and the Tunisian Republic”). Later on, Obama and Tunisian President Essebsi reaffirmed those sentiments, stating, “...as Tunisians seek to build the Arab world’s newest democracy, they will continue to have a strong friend and partner in the world’s oldest democracy, the United States of America” (“Helping Tunisia Realize Its Democratic Promise”). Furthermore, former Secretaries of State John Kerry and Hillary Clinton made multiple visits to Tunisia, applauding the efforts of the citizens and emphasizing important characteristics of the peacebuilding initiative (Clinton; Kerry). The dialogue between these officials and their commitment to democracy-building in Tunisia exemplifies how peacebuilding in Tunisia is not only a grassroots initiative but also an international priority and has been implemented at every level.

The Tunisian peacebuilding enterprise was successful because the approach stressed democracy-building, grassroots foundations, and the empowerment of marginalized groups. Firstly, programs and assistance have largely centered around building the nation’s democracy. This aspect of peacebuilding is particularly important, as the advancement of democracy promotes citizen inclusion, trust in institutions, and social cohesion. As a result, extremism and the violence caused by oppressive, corrupt regimes are avoided. In addition, Tunisia’s democratic transition had a grassroots foundation, which strengthened the peace initiative by emphasizing the will of the people. Foreign aid followed this grassroots call for change and continued to promote a local approach by emphasizing decentralization, community-based dialogue, and partnerships with local civil society organizations. Lastly, the empowerment of youth, women, and interior communities of Tunisia fostered peace by providing fair opportunities and addressing their previously neglected needs. With over 60 percent of the population under 30, it was especially important to involve the youth, whom Clinton said would “determine what the future will be” (Rupert, “Tunisia, Stable Under Essebsi, Now Must Recruit Youth”; “Town Hall With Tunisian Youth”). Consequently, there was increased inclusion of these citizens in the government, exemplified in the May 2018 local elections in which 47 percent of council seats went to women, and 37 percent went to those under 35 (Yerkes).

Because of the success of peacebuilding initiatives, Tunisia remains a model of a strong democratic transition. Furthermore, USAID, USIP, and US government officials’ multifaceted approach to Tunisia exemplifies the significance of diplomats in achieving peace. With the continuation of diplomatic efforts, Tunisia’s future as a peaceful, democratic country will be secured, and it will serve as a paradigm for other global peacebuilding initiatives.

Bibliography

Abouaoun, Elie. “Tunisia Timeline: Since the Jasmine Revolution.” United States Institute of Peace , 12 Jul. 2019, www.usip.org/tunisia-timeline-jasmine-revolution . Accessed 26 Nov. 2020.

“Alliance of Tunisian Facilitators (ATF).” United States Institute of Peace , www.usip.org/programs/alliance-tunisian-facilitators-atf . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Chan, Sewell. “Nobel Peace Prize Is Awarded to National Dialogue Quartet in Tunisia.” The New York Times , 9 Oct. 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/world/europe/national-dialogue-quartet-tunisia-nobel-peace-prize.html . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Clinton, Hillary Rodham. “Town Hall With Tunisian Youth.” U.S. Department of State , 25 Feb. 2012, 2009-2017. state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2012/02/184656.htm . Accessed 10 Nov. 2020.

“The Current Situation in Tunisia.” United States Institute of Peace , 12 Oct. 2020, www.usip.org/publications/2020/10/current-situation-tunisia . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

“Domestic Election Monitoring – Tunisia (DEMT).” USAID , 3 Dec. 2018, www.usaid.gov/tunisia/fact-sheets/demt . Accessed 11 Nov. 2020.

“Fact Sheet: Enduring U.S.-Tunisian Relations.” U.S. Embassy in Tunisia , tn.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/fact-sheet-enduring-u-s-tunisian-relations/ . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Forest, Rosemary. “Partnerships in Peacebuilding: 9 Takeaways from Working with Grassroots Groups.” Alliance , 6 Feb. 2020, www.alliancemagazine.org/blog/partnerships-in-peacebuilding-9-takeaways-from-working-with-grassroots-groups/ . Accessed 26 Nov. 2020.

Gallagher, Adam. “Amid North Africa’s Turmoil, Tunisia’s Steady Transition Moves Forward.” United States Institute of Peace , 3 May 2019, www.usip.org/publications/2019/05/amid-north-africas-turmoil-tunisias-steady-transition-moves-forward . Accessed 26 Nov. 2020.

“Joint Statement by the United States of America and the Tunisian Republic.” The White House , 4 Apr. 2014, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/04/joint-statement-united-states-america-and-tunisian-republic . Accessed 11 Nov. 2020.

Kerry, John. “Remarks at a Solo Press Availability.” U.S. Department of State , 18 Feb. 2014, 2009-2017. state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/02/221754.htm . Accessed 10 Nov. 2020.

Obama, Barack, and Béji Caïd Essebsi. “Helping Tunisia Realize Its Democratic Promise.” The Washington Post , 20 May 2015, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/us-helping-tunisia-to-make-sure-democracy-delivers/2015/05/20/05b029e4-fe75-11e4-833c-a2de05b6b2a4_story.html . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Rupert, James. “Tunisia: Democratic but Precarious.” United States Institute of Peace , 22 Dec. 2017, www.usip.org/publications/2017/12/tunisia-democratic-precarious . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Rupert, James. “Tunisia, Stable Under Essebsi, Now Must Recruit Youth.” United States Institute of Peace , 29 Jul. 2019, www.usip.org/blog/2019/07/tunisia-stable-under-essebsi-now-must-recruit-youth . Accessed 27 Nov. 2020.

“Supporting Youth and Empowering Local Communities Project (SHAREKNA).” USAID , 3 Dec. 2018, www.usaid.gov/tunisia/fact-sheets/sharekna . Accessed 11 Nov. 2020.

“Tunisia Accountability, Decentralization, and Effective Municipalities (TADAEEM).” USAID , 3 Dec. 2018, www.usaid.gov/tunisia/fact-sheets/tadaeem . Accessed 11 Nov. 2020.

“U.S. Assistance to Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.” Wilson Center , 10 Sept. 2012, www.wilsoncenter.org/article/us-assistance-to-egypt-tunisia-and-libya . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

“U.S. Relations With Tunisia.” U.S. Department of State , 20 Sept. 2019, www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-tunisia/ . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Yerkes, Sarah, and Marwan Muasher. “Decentralization in Tunisia: Empowering Towns, Engaging People.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , 17 May 2018, carnegieendowment.org/2018/05/17/decentralization-in-tunisia-empowering-towns-engaging-people-pub-76376 . Accessed 10 Nov. 2020.

Yerkes, Sarah E. “The Tunisia Model.” Foreign Affairs , vol. 98, no. 6, 2019, www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/tunisia/2019-10-15/tunisia-model . Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Write From The Heart

2021 High School Essay Contest Winners

Write from the Heart Essay Contest Winners!

High school winners.

We are so excited to announce the high school winners of our 3rd annual essay contest.

Students in our annual classes submitted an essay of their choice, and one winner was chosen in each grade.  Today, we are pleased to share the winning essays from 9th-12th grade!

9th Grade Winner

Logan b., pennsylvania literature & composition 201.

Human Understanding

I have never exactly understood other humans. I talk with them, I live with them, but I don’t always understand them. To make up for my lack of understanding of other people, I write fiction. Through writing, I can better envision the lives of others. However, writing glimpses of others’ lives also gives me a greater appreciation of reality. Fiction helps me process information about the world while providing me with a better appreciation of reality.

When I write fiction, I put myself in the place of my characters and see the world through their eyes. This form of writing helps me process information about people around me and condense it into knowledge about what might actually happen in the world outside my head. By writing fictional characters and chronicling their interactions with others, I manage to learn a bit more about the real world.

However, writing the unreal makes me long for reality all the more. I can satisfy myself for a while with only the products of my imagination and their escapades, but writing these stories makes me want reality even more. It makes me want to feel what my characters feel and experience what they experience. I can go out into the world, experience real things, speak with real people, learn more about the world around me, and then return to a computer to write it all down.

I don’t know if I’ll ever fully understand other people. Perhaps I never will, and I don’t mind that. In a way, my writing helps me to live two lives. I can look at life through the eyes of my characters, and then I look up from my writing to live in the real world. While I may never understand other humans, I certainly enjoy learning about them. 

Honorable Mention—Peter C., Maryland “The Most Thrilling Sport” (Literature & Composition 201)

10th Grade Winner

Elizabeth b., washington literature & composition 201.

On today’s menu: a small, flaky, buttery, crescent shaped roll with an unpronounceable name. Croissants are beautiful, though unobtrusive; rich, yet relatively simple; bold, but adaptable; and, I’d like to think, a bit like me. The croissant represents my proficiency in adjusting to different situations, my strength in developing my skills, my personal experience with bread products, and my family history surprisingly well, for a baked good.

As a bread product, croissants are versatile and can be eaten in any number of ways depending on what’s being eaten with them. Sweet, savory, salty, or sour foods can all be added with no ill effect on the roll.  In much the same way, I try to adapt to the people I’m with and to my surroundings. Sometimes I find new things to be scary but I’m usually willing to try out any new project or idea I’m faced with.

In creating a croissant, one must put quite a bit of work into folding the dough and butter together over, and over to create layer after layer. The work may not seem to do much initially, but once baked the croissant rises beyond recognition. I may not have prodigious talent in any one discipline, but, given enough work and repetition, I have the potential to grow my skills vastly in any subject I choose.

Another one of the reasons I have a connection to croissants is a less metaphorical, a bit more personal, and lies solely in fact that croissants happen to be baked goods packed full of butter. Most of my family is gluten intolerant, including myself, which has left me with a very particular relationship with bread products. Where we lived when I was younger there weren’t any good options for buying gluten free bread, let alone a croissant, and the times when we made bread ourselves were few and far between, so bread became a kind of luxury good to little eight-year-old me. What with all that, it may not be all that surprising that I’ve only eaten a croissant two or three times in my life.

Going a bit farther back in my history, however, I come to the very well-known fact that croissants are a traditional French cuisine. My family on my dad’s side is French to varying degrees. On my grandpa’s side we come from French speaking Canada, and on my grandma’s we’re directly from France. And while my name is decidedly not French, it has Hebrew origins actually, my sister, Euphrasia, was named after our great, great, great, great grandmother, Marie Euphrasie Andre Michaut.

The croissant and I share a number of traits, like adaptability, growth, and French heritage.  Croissants and I go well with many different things, grow vastly given enough work, and share a French lineage. I hadn’t realized before now just how much I had in common with this baked good. Perhaps I shall have to add this small, buttery, flaky roll to my mental list of things to bake.

Honorable Mention—Grace H. Virginia “Mother’s Teachings ” (Literature & Composition 201)

11th/12th Grade Winner

Timothy c., pennsylvania literature & composition 202.

Someone to Chase

Someone to chase. It’s something that everyone thinks about, who is their role model? Is it a famous sports player? Some influential speaker or even a close relative? Like many people, when I was a kid I was always looking for someone to look up to, but no one ever really stuck out as a true role model to me. Someone who I could wonder at and say to myself, “Wow I want to be like them! They’ve accomplished so much!” Then one afternoon I was slumped on my bed after a long school day, while I watched all sorts of speeches and talks. Most of them were very similar, acceptance speeches, funny speeches, lots of Hollywood flare. But I stumbled across one video that specifically drew me in. This video was a speech by Matthew McConaughey talking about role models and how growing up he was always looking for someone to chase. Someone who he eventually decided was himself. Except that this version of himself was ten years in the future. After thinking over that video for a while I realized that if I could also chase this best version of myself, someone that I could always work towards but never quite catch.

 A big part of this chase however is motivation.  I often still lose motivation, as I am a lazy person by nature.  But every once in a while there’s that voice in my ear telling me to keep chasing after that best version of myself. And it’s hard! It’s hard to stay working and not give up on the chase, but by trying to keep up this constant pursuit not only do I give myself a better outlook of what I can look like in the future, but I also give myself the tools to fix those practices that I could be doing better right now.

For instance, fear is a big thing that can hold me back, I’m sure lots of people can think of times where they didn’t do something and regretted it because they were scared of what would happen.  Well, for me, growing up I was absolutely horrified of heights, I wouldn’t go near a roller coaster if my life depended on it. And although it took a lot of convincing I was able to finally ride “The Phantom,” a very tall roller coaster at Kennywood amusement park. Although waiting in line under the towering purple coaster was torture, once I got through the ride I realized just how much fun it was! And although I am still scared of heights, that fear has gotten better over time, but only through confronting it. So like with most things, to chase and become the best version of yourself, you’re going to have to confront the fears and issues in your life that are holding you back, every day!  In the end, however, I think it will all be worth it, and the chase will finally pay off.

Honorable Mention—Ellie W., Texas “Untitled” (Composition 104)

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"Pious condolences will no longer suffice…"

"Quarter measures and half measures will no longer suffice…"

"The time has now come that we must enact stringent gun control legislation…"

"…gun control legislation comparable to the legislation in force in virtually every civilized country in the world." Senator Thomas Dodd, June 11, 1968

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Announcing our 2021 National High School Essay Contest

Announcing the opening of our 2021 national high school essay contest – with a mixture of some pleasure and great concern, a message from the president of americans against gun violence.

It’s with a mixture of some pleasure and also great concern that I’m posting this message to announce that our 2021  Americans Against Gun Violence National High School Essay Contest is now open to all U.S. high school students.

I’m pleased that this is the fourth consecutive year that we’re hosting the contest and that this year’s awards will bring the total amount of money that we’ve given to deserving high school students to over $60,000. The reasons for my great concern, however, are reflected in the prompt for this year’s contest. Rather than asking students to write about a quotation solely related to gun violence prevention as we’ve done in previous contests, this year we’re asking students to respond to the following prompt:

“Describe the effect on American youth of the confluence of our country’s longstanding gun violence epidemic with the current Covid-19 pandemic and the threat of violent insurrection; and describe what role you believe the adoption of stringent gun control laws should play at this critical time in our nation’s history.”

I’m appending the prompts that we used for our previous essay contests below. Although the prompt for the 2020 essay contest, which we chose in December of 2019 (before the first reported Covid-19 case in the United States), had nothing directly to do with the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the winning essays in last year’s contest, which are posted on the High School Essay Contest page of this website, described the severe physical and mental strain that American youth already faced by the essay contest deadline in mid-April as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic coming on top of our protracted gun violence epidemic. Several students noted that the early part of 2020 was the first time in many years that there had not been a tragic mass shooting on a school campus – not as a result of the adoption of stringent gun control laws, but rather as a result of schools being closed in an attempt to reduce the spread of Covid-19. And a number of students also commented on the disparity between the extreme measures that were being taken to address the Covid-19 pandemic as compared with the indifference that most lawmakers exhibited toward the gun violence epidemic – an epidemic that disproportionately affects our youth.

As the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded during the rest of 2020, although children and youth rarely suffered serious illness or death as a result of Covid-19, in many ways, they were the ones who were forced to make the greatest sacrifices in order to try to reduce rates of coronavirus related morbidity and mortality in older generations. The rates of Covid-19 related infections and deaths surged at the end of 2020, and preliminary records indicate that gun sales and gun deaths also reached record highs in our country in 2020. On top of this, the year ended with a presidential election like no other in U.S. history, with the incumbent, Donald Trump, denying the clear result that he had lost the free and fair election, and with millions of Americans, including many Republican members of Congress, agreeing with him. And now, the New Year has begun like no other in our nation’s history, with thousands of insurrectionists, incited by Donald Trump, violently attacking the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President and Vice President-elect; and with the credible threat of more violence to come throughout our country perpetrated by heavily armed paramilitary groups intent on disrupting the democratic process and imposing their own will.

One of the purposes of our annual Americans Against Gun Violence National High School Essay Contest is to foster and reward critical thinking among our youth. There is obviously a great need for better critical thinking skills on the part of a large segment of the adult population in our country as well. It’s unfortunate that we don’t presently have the resources to open our 2021 essay contest to people of all ages in the United States. I hope, though, that you’ll help publicize our 2021 contest, not only to high school students and high school educators with whom you have contact, but to anyone else who you think might be open minded enough to consider the extreme danger posed by the plethora of privately owned guns in circulation at this critical juncture in our nation’s history and the need to adopt stringent gun control laws in the United States comparable to the laws that have long been in effect in all the other high income democratic countries of the world. An essay contest flyer and full details concerning our 2021 essay contest are posted on the High School Essay Contest page of this website.

Finally, I’d like to thank everyone who made monetary contributions to Americans Against Gun Violence in 2020 to support our work, including our annual high school essay contest. If you made a contribution in late December and you haven’t received a personal thank you from me, you’ll be receiving one soon. And whether or not you made a contribution in 2020, if you could make a monetary donation now to support our work going forward, including future essay contests, it would be greatly appreciated.

I often end my president’s messages by thanking supporters for helping us show that we’re a country that loves its children more than its guns. I’ll end this message by also thanking you for helping us show that we love our democracy more than our guns.

Bill Durston, MD

President, Americans Against Gun Violence

Essay Contest Prompts Used in Past Years

(Click on the year to read the winning essays.)

2018 : “The time has now come that we must adopt stringent gun control legislation comparable to the legislation in force in virtually every civilized country in the world.” – The Late Senator Thomas Dodd of Connecticut, June of 1968

2019 : “The Second Amendment guarantees no right to keep and bear a firearm that does not have ‘some reasonable relationship to the preservation or efficiency of a well regulated militia.'” – Excerpt from the late Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun’s majority opinion in the 1980 case of Lewis v. United States

2020 : “Firearm regulations, to include bans of handguns and assault weapons, are the most effective way to reduce firearm related injuries.” – Position Statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics, issued in April of 2000.

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Related posts, “gun control in great britain after the 1996 dunblane primary school mass shooting: a model for the united states”, a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet a true hero in the field of gun violence prevention, what to tell our children (truthfully) about school shootings, a two-word summary of the supreme court’s new one-step test for the constitutionality of gun laws: “blatant hypocrisy”, “seeking refuge” – another horrific mass shooting…and another tragically prescient essay by a high school student.

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High School Essay Contest 2021

• Deadline June 30, 2021
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Submissions are open for High School Essay Contest 2021!

The Columbia Undergraduate Law Review is excited to announce its 2021 High School Essay Contest. Respondents must answer the following prompt in approximately, but no more than, 1500 words (citations excluded):

Explain the implications COVID-19 has had on an individual’s “right to privacy.” You may wish, but certainly are not required, to talk about contact tracing, vaccine passports, mandatory quarantine which may track an individual’s location, etc. to support your response. Your essay can explore the implications of privacy infringement within the context of any country and its relevant legal systems. This question can also be explored within the context of international law including, but not limited to, treaty law, customary law and International Court of Justice litigation. Please cite sources in Chicago Citation format.

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The goal of the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review is to provide Columbia University and the public with an opportunity for the discussion of law-related ideas and the publication of undergraduate legal scholarship . For many undergraduates and non-law students, important legal issues are often rendered unapproachable, vague, or overly complex. It is their mission to enrich the academic and extracurricular life of an undergraduate community by providing a forum where debate and discourse regarding the law—augmented by scholarly research—can flourish.

• The first-prize article will be published on Columbia Undergraduate Law Review’s website.
• The next two runners-up will receive a certificate of recognition from the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review.

Eligibilities

• Essay submissions will be accepted from all currently enrolled high school students.
• The contest is open internationally.

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Submit your essay using the Apply Now link.

Application Deadline: June 30, 2021

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Connecticut Foundation for Open Government

2021 High School Essay Contest

THE CONNECTICUT FOUNDATION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT Announces

First Prize: $1,000 Second Prize: $500 Third Prize: $300 Honorable Mentions: $50

  Choose one of the following topics:

• A Pennsylvania high school cheerleader was angry when she failed to make the varsity squad and posted a profane message about school on Snapshot while off campus. Administrators suspended her from cheerleading for a year. A lawsuit she filed is now before the U.S. Supreme Court. Does the First Amendment protect public school students for speech outside school grounds?
• Should the owners of social media platforms be legally responsible for libelous postings by users? Under present law, only the user is legally responsible for a libelous post.
• Do Americans have the right to secretly record police officers discharging their official duties in public places?

Essays must be at least 400 words but no more than 600 words and emailed no later than March 31, 2021, to [email protected] . Essays should include the student’s full name, school, grade and teacher email contact information. Winners will be announced by May 14, 2021.

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Fourth circuit sponsors 2021 high school essay contest.

In his inaugural address 60 years ago, President John F. Kennedy uttered a profound and enduring challenge regarding citizenship: “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” As Kennedy recognized, citizenship carries with it both rights and responsibilities.

What are the responsibilities of citizenship, and how do those responsibilities support and reinforce the rule of law?

Students are invited to consider and share their thoughts on the question: "What are the responsibilities of citizenship, and how do those responsibilities support and reinforce the rule of law?" 

The contest is open to all students currently in grades 9 through 12 from Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Essays are limited to 1,000 words and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 28, 2021 .

Students have the opportunity to win one of three cash prizes: first place , $2,000; second place , $1,500; and third place , $1,000. 

Winners will be announced in the summer, and travel will be provided to the court’s Essay Awards Program in September 2021.

For additional information and instructions on how to submit an essay, visit www.ca4.uscourts.gov/essay-contest-2021 . 

For questions, contact the Fourth Circuit Clerk’s Office at [email protected] or (804) 916-2706.

Please note: Prior award winners as well as children, grandchildren, stepchildren, and members of the household of a federal judge or federal judiciary employee are excluded from the competition.

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What are the most important influences on economic inequality in the United States?

The Federal Reserve: The Next 100 Years

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What is the value of higher education?

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What economic factors may be contributing to the problem of obesity, and how can economics be applied to address the problem?

What role, if any, should the government play in energy markets?

• Bibliography  [PDF]

Hamilton vs. Jefferson: Whose economic vision was better?

• Essay Contest Finalists Advanced Economics First Place Essay (Overall Winner) —  Second Place Essay Standard Economics First Place Essay —  Second Place Essay
• Bibliography

Is immigration good or bad for the U.S. economy?

What economic lessons can be drawn from an illegal drug deal?

• Essay Contest Finalists Advanced Economics First Place Essay (Overall Winner) —  Second Place Essay Standard Economics First Place Essay — Second Place Essay
• Topic Background  

Why are some countries rich and some countries poor?

• Essay Contest Finalists Advanced Economics First Place Essay (Overall Winner) — Second Place Essay Standard Economics First Place Essay — Second Place Essay

What role, if any, should the government play in addressing income inequality?

• Essay Contest Finalists Advanced Economics First Place Essay — Second Place Essay Standard Economics First Place Essay (Overall Winner) — Second Place Essay

Select a major problem concerning the ecological environment. Using economic analysis, show how this problem could be addressed.

Is there a housing shortage? What role should the government play in the housing market?

• Essay Contest Finalists First Place Essay — Second Place Essay

The Great Depression: Could it happen again?

• Bibliography  

What does this 1973  picture, of a gas station without gas to see, imply about how markets work? How can the lessons portrayed in the picture guide policymakers today?

What economic lessons can be drawn from this  painting of a bustling sixteenth century Dutch market?

Why do some countries grow faster than others? What, if anything, can a central bank do to enhance economic growth?

Should states be permitted to use targeted incentives to recruit businesses?

• Essay Contest Finalists First Place Essay —  Second Place Essay (Tie) — Second Place Essay (Tie)

What exchange rate system should central banks adopt?

• Essay Contest Finalists   First Place Essay — Second Place Essay

What role should the Federal Reserve Play in the payments system?

Is the Community Reinvestment Act a necessary and effective tool for eliminating discrimination in lending?

• First Place Essay

Central Banks in Emerging Economies

Is reform of the banking system necessary and, if so, what types of reform would be most effective?

How successful has the floating exchange rate system been compared to the fixed exchange rate system? And, what modifications would you recommend, if any?

Is the Federal Reserve Too Independent?

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High school essay contest.

Friday, February 23 11:59 - 11:59PM EST

United States

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High school essay contest

Announcing the annual high school essay contest! The annual MCC U.S. National Peace & Justice Ministries essay contest highlights the perspectives of youth on significant public policy issues and promotes the involvement of young people in faithful witness to government authorities. Submissions may be in English or Spanish. (A continuación véase la información en español.)

The contest is open to Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and other Anabaptist youth of high school age and to all youth who attend Mennonite high schools within the United States, including Puerto Rico. 

A grand prize of $1000 will be awarded to the top essay. Honorable mentions will receive $250.

Read the full contest rules .

Topics this year are: •    Climate change •    Immigration •    Mass incarceration Contest topics | Resource list

The deadline for submitting entries is 11:59 pm Eastern time on February 23, 2024. Essays should be submitted to your nearest MCC regional office.

¡Anunciamos el concurso anual de ensayos para estudiantes de secundaria!

El concurso anual de ensayos del Ministerios Nacionales de Paz y Justicia de CCM U.S. destaca las perspectivas de los jóvenes sobre cuestiones importantes de política pública y promueve la participación de los jóvenes en el testimonio fiel ante las autoridades gubernamentales. Las presentaciones pueden ser en inglés o en español. El concurso está abierto a los menonitas, Hermanos en Cristo y otros jóvenes anabautistas en edad de asistir a la escuela secundaria y a todos los jóvenes que asisten a las escuelas secundarias menonitas dentro de los Estados Unidos, incluida la isla de Puerto Rico. Se otorgarán un gran premio de $1000 al mejor ensayo. Las menciones honoríficas recibirán $250.  

Consulte las reglas completas del concurso .

Los temas de este año son: •    Cambio climático •    Inmigración •    Encarcelación masiva

Temas del concurso  |  Lista de recursos

La fecha límite para presentar los trabajos es el 23 de febrero de 2024 a las 11:59 p.m., hora del este. Los ensayos deben presentarse en la oficina regional del CCM más cercana. 

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Regions Riding Forward® Scholarship Contest

Their Story. Your Voice.

Your voice is your own. But it's also been impacted by others. Who, we wonder, has inspired you? Let us know by entering the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest. 

You could win an $8,000 college scholarship

For the opportunity to win an $8,000 scholarship, submit a video or written essay about an individual you know personally (who lives in your community) who has inspired you and helped you build the confidence you need to achieve your goals.

The details

The 2024 Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest consists of four (4) separate Quarterly Contests - one for each calendar quarter of 2024. Regions is awarding four $8,000 scholarships through each Quarterly Contest.

Each Quarterly Contest has its own separate entry period, as provided in the chart below.

The entry deadline for each Quarterly Contest is 11:59:59 PM Central Time on the applicable Quarterly Contest period end date (set forth in the chart above).

No purchase or banking relationship required.

Regions believes in supporting the students whose passion and actions every day will continue to make stories worth sharing. That’s why we have awarded over $1 million in total scholarships to high school and college students.

How to enter, 1. complete an online quarterly contest application.

Enter the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest by completing a Quarterly Contest application.  The second Quarterly Contest runs from April 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024. Complete and save all requested information. 

2. Prepare your Written Essay or Video Essay

For each Quarterly Contest, the topic of your Written Essay or Video Essay (your “Essay Topic”) must be an individual you know personally, who lives in your community. Your Written Essay or Video Essay must address how the individual you have selected as your Essay Topic has inspired you and helped you build the confidence you need to achieve your goals.

Written Essay and Video Essay submissions must meet all of the requirements described in the contest Official Rules. Your Written Essay or Video Essay must be (i) in English, (ii) your own original work, created solely by you (and without the use of any means of artificial intelligence (“AI”)), and (iii) the exclusive property of you alone.

Written Essays must be 500 words or less. You can write your Written Essay directly in the application, or you can copy and paste it into the appropriate area in the application form.

Video Essay submissions must be directly uploaded to the contest application site. Video Essays must be no more than 3 minutes in length and no larger than 1 GB. Only the following file formats are accepted: MP4, MPG, MOV, AVI, and WMV. Video Essays must not contain music of any kind nor display any illegal, explicit, or inappropriate material, and Video Essays must not be password protected or require a log-in/sign-in to view. You must upload your Video Essay to the application, and you may not submit your Video Essay in DVD or other physical form. (Video Essays submitted via mail will not be reviewed or returned.)

Tips to Record Quality Videos on a Smartphone:

• Don’t shoot vertical video. Computer monitors have landscape-oriented displays, so shoot your video horizontally.
• Use a tripod. Even small movements can make a big difference when editing.
• Don’t use zoom. If you need to get a close shot of the subject, move closer as zooming can cause pixilation.
• Use natural lighting. Smartphone lighting can wash out your video.

3. Review and submit your Quarterly Contest application

Review your information on your Quarterly Application (and check the spelling of a Written Essay) and submit your entry by 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time on the applicable Quarterly Contest period end date. The second Quarterly Contest period end date is June 30, 2024.

4. Await notification

Winning entries are selected by an independent panel of judges who are not affiliated with Regions. If your entry is selected as a Quarterly Contest winner, you will need to respond to ISTS with the required information.

Eligibility

For purposes of this contest:

• The “Eligible States” are defined as the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
• An “accredited college” is defined as a nonprofit, two- or four-year college or university located within one of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia.

To be eligible to enter this contest and to win an award in a Quarterly Contest, at the time of entry, you must:

• Be a legal U.S. resident of one of the Eligible States.
• Be age 16 or older.
• Have at least one (1) year (or at least 18 semester hours) remaining before college graduation.
• If you are not yet in college, begin your freshman year of college no later than the start of the 2025 – 2026 college academic school year.
• As of your most recent school enrollment period, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in school (and if no GPA is provided at school, be in “good standing” or the equivalent thereof in school).

View Official Rules

NO PURCHASE OR BANKING RELATIONSHIP REQUIRED. PURCHASE OR BANKING RELATIONSHIP WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. The 2024 Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest (the “Contest”) consists of four (4) separate quarterly contests (each a “Quarterly Contest”): (1) the “Q-1 Contest;” (2) the “Q-2 Contest;” (3) the “Q-3 Contest;” and (4) the “Q-4 Contest.” The Q-1 Contest begins on 02/01/24 and ends on 03/31/24; the Q-2 Contest begins on 04/01/24 and ends on 06/30/24; the Q-3 Contest begins on 07/01/24 and ends on 09/30/24; and the Q-4 Contest begins on 10/01/24 and ends on 12/31/24. (For each Quarterly Contest, entries must be submitted and received by 11:59:59 PM CT on the applicable Quarterly Contest period end date.) To enter and participate in a particular Quarterly Contest, at the time of entry, you must: (a) be a legal U.S. resident of one of the Eligible States; (b) be 16 years of age or older; (c) have at least one (1) year (or at least 18 semester hours) remaining before college graduation; (d) (if you are not yet in college) begin your freshman year of college no later than the start of the 2025 – 2026 college academic school year; and (e) as of your most recent school enrollment period, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in school (and if no grade point average is provided at school, be in “good standing” or the equivalent thereof in school). (For purposes of Contest, the “Eligible States” are defined as the states of AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN and TX.) Visit regions.com/ridingforward for complete Contest details, including eligibility and Written Essay and Video Essay requirements and Official Rules. (Limit one (1) entry per person, per Quarterly Contest.) For each Quarterly Contest, eligible entries will be grouped according to form of entry (Written Essay or Video Essay) and judged by a panel of independent, qualified judges. A total of four (4) Quarterly Contest Prizes will be awarded in each Quarterly Contest, consisting of two (2) Quarterly Contest Prizes for the Written Essay Entry Group and two (2) Quarterly Contest Prizes for the Video Essay Entry Group. Each Quarterly Contest Prize consists of a check in the amount of $8,000 made out to winner’s designated accredited college. (Limit one (1) Quarterly Contest Prize per person; a contestant is permitted to win only one (1) Quarterly Contest Prize through the Contest.) Sponsor: Regions Bank, 1900 Fifth Ave. N., Birmingham, AL 35203.

© 2024 Regions Bank. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

2023 Winners

High school:.

• Amyrrean Acoff
• Leon Aldridge
• Kharis Andrews
• Colton Collier
• Indya Griffin
• Christopher Hak
• Aquil Hayes
• Jayden Haynes
• McKenna Jodoin
• Paris Kelly
• Liza Latimer
• Dylan Lodle
• Anna Mammarelli
• Karrington Manley
• Marcellus Odum
• Gautami Palthepu
• Melody Small
• Lauryn Tanner
• Joshua Wilson
• Mohamed Ali
• Kayla Bellamy
• Lauren Boxx
• Alexandria Brown
• Samuel Brown
• Thurston Brown
• Conner Daehler
• Tsehai de Souza
• Anjel Echols
• Samarion Flowers
• Trinity Griffin
• Kristina Hilton
• Ryan Jensen
• Miracle Jones
• Shaniece McGhee
• Chelby Melvin
• Lamiya Ousley
• Kiera Phillips
• Gabrielle Pippins
• Ethan Snead
• Sydney Springs
• Kirsten Tilford
• Tamira Weeks
• Justin Williams

2022 Winners

• Paul Aucremann
• William Booker
• Robyn Cunningham
• Kani'ya Davis
• Oluwatomi Dugbo
• Lillian Goins
• Parker Hall
• Collin Hatfield
• Gabrielle Izu
• Kylie Lauderdale
• Jacob Milan
• Jackson Mitchell
• Carmen Moore
• Madison Morgan
• Kaden Oquelí-White
• Kaylin Parks
• Brian Perryman
• De'Marco Riggins
• Brianna Roundtree
• Sydney Russell
• Carlie Spore
• Morgan Standifer
• Ionia Thomas
• Ramaya Thomas
• Jaylen Toran
• Amani Veals
• Taylor Williams
• Alana Wilson
• Taryn Wilson
• Aryaunna Armstrong
• Hannah Blackwell
• T'Aneka Bowers
• Naomi Bradley
• Arianna Cannon
• Taylor Cline
• Catherine Cummings
• Margaret Fitzgerald
• Chloe Franklin
• Camryn Gaines
• Thomas Greer
• Kayla Helleson
• Veronica Holmes
• Logan Kurtz
• Samuel Lambert
• Jaylon Muchison
• Teresa Odom
• Andrew Payne
• Carey Price
• Emily SantiAnna
• Curtis Smith
• Jered Smith
• Mariah Standifer
• Maura Taylor
• Anna Wilkes

Perry High School students win 2024 Perry Optimist essay contest

P erry Optimist Club handed out medals to the local essay contest winners during its meeting on Wednesday, April 3 at the Hotel Pattee.

Linda Andorf, who facilitated the contest, said DMACC VanKirk Career Academy's Linda Kaufman assigned a writing assignment to her Perry High School/DMACC students. The assignment was graded and was then judged anonymously by Perry Optimist Club members. This year, 32 essays were submitted and four places were awarded.

Erika Guardado won first place while Jennifer Ramos received second place. Mia Munoz and Kain Killmer tied for third place.

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox.

The prompt for this year’s contest was "Optimism: How it Connects Us."

Guardado’s essay has been sent to the district level. She will also receive a $500 scholarship during the senior awards assembly in May.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Perry High School students win 2024 Perry Optimist essay contest