JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Website: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Education/Profile-in-Courage-Essay-Contest.aspx

Who's Eligible: High school students in grades 9-12

Award Amount: Up to $20,000

Due Date: January 4

Requirements:

Ready those pens and get to writing. The student who composes the best 1,000-word essay (excluding citations) that describes "an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official that occurred during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born" walks away with $20,000. (FYI: JFK, Robert Kennedy, and Sen. Ted Kennedy are not eligible subjects for essays, and if you decided to choose a past recipient of the Profile in Courage Award, make sure you write about something other than the act of courage that earned them that award.)  

The teacher who nominated the student walks away with $500. The runner-up earns $1,000 and up to five finalists receive $500. Students must be nominated by a current or former teacher from their high school and submissions will be judged on how much the essay reflects originality, thoughtfulness, critical thinking, convincing arguments, and a thorough understanding of the topic. If you need some ideas, check out Shmoop's biographies.