Since someone in my immediate family just received her prize for the Breakpoint essay contest in which she won third place (three books and a cash award), I thought I’d look around the web for essay contests that some of my students (or your students) might be interested in entering.
1. Jane Austen Society of North America 2005 Essay Contest: This one doesn’t have a scholarship or cash award, but you do get a free membership in JASNA for one year, free admission and room at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Milwaukee (October, 2005) or the equivalent cash award, public recognition at the 2005 AGM and on the JASNA web site, andon-line publication of the winning essay. It’s for students high school age through post-graduate. We are Jane Austen fans around here.
2. The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest: The topic of the essay shall deal with an event, person, philosophy, or ideal associated with the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. Contestants shall be in their junior or senior grade of study during the contest year. I’m going to strongly urge my AP US History students to enter this essay contest. The top three prizes are $3000, $2000, and $1000 respectively.
3. TextbookX.com Scholarship: An undergraduate or graduate student in the US must enter this contest online. The essay topic for this fall is: What role, if any, do the media play in shaping American political opinion? The deadline for this one is October 31st, but I think they run another contest in the spring.
4. Signet Classic Essay Contest: Five high school juniors or seniors can each win a $1,000 scholarship award to be used toward their higher education plus a Signet Classic library for their school. Students enter by writing an essay on one of four topics posed for this year’s competition book, The Prince and the Pauper by Charles Dickens.
5. John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest: In less than 1,000 words, write an essay that is original, creative, and demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage. Use a variety of sources such as newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews to address one of the following two topics:
A current elected public official in the United States, who is acting courageously to address a political issue at the local, state, national, or international level OR
An elected public official in the United States since 1956 who has acted courageously to address a political issue at the local, state, national, or international level. THis is another contest that sounds tailor-made for my AP US History students; it’s for students in grades 9-12.
This is fun; I think I’ll look for some more another day. Please comment and tell me if you or your students plan to enter any of these contests, and especially tell me if anyone you know wins. I think the really attractive thing about these contests for homeschoolers is that they provide extra incentive to write something that will add to a student’s education and enrich his/her life. (Maybe even literally “enrich.”)