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2023 High School Essay Contest Winning Essay

You are here, in this section, mending bridges: us–vietnam reconciliation from 1995 to today.

BY JUSTIN AHN

When the Vietnam War ended in 1975, US–Vietnam relations were understandably tense. During the war, 58,220 American soldiers were killed; on the Vietnamese side, a staggering two million civilians and one million soldiers were killed (Albert). The US severed diplomatic ties with Vietnam and imposed a full trade embargo (Albert). But today, less than fifty years later, the two countries are close economic and strategic partners thanks to the Foreign Service’s successful reconciliation efforts.

Between 1975 and 1995, shifting international dynamics created an opportunity to build ties with Vietnam. Initially, US–Vietnam relations deteriorated as Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1978 and aligned itself with the Soviet Union (Manyin 2). However, after Vietnam withdrew its troops from Cambodia in 1989, the Bush administration decided in 1990 to seek contact with Vietnam to facilitate a peace agreement (Manyin 2). In 1991, a multilateral peace accord concluded the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, and the US lifted travel restrictions against Vietnam (Albert). After increasing diplomatic exchanges in the following years, in July 1995, the two countries normalized relations, agreeing to exchange ambassadors (Albert).

To enable more extensive cooperation, the Foreign Service had to rebuild Americans’ trust in their recent enemy by addressing the legacies of war. Because some Americans believed that American soldiers were still being held captive in Vietnam, a full accounting of prisoners of war (POW) and missing in action soldiers (MIA) was necessary to prove that Vietnam was no longer an enemy (United States, Congress, Senate 1–4). Moreover, advocacy groups demanded that the US offer closure to veterans’ families and recover soldiers’ bodies so that their deaths would not be forgotten (Osius 7–8). As early as 1992, the Department of Defense established an office of the Joint Task Force–Full Accounting (JTF-FA) in Hanoi (Osius 12). In fact, Vietnamese cooperation in accounting for MIAs was a major reason for the decision to normalize relations (McCain). Once an embassy was established, under the direction of charge d’affaires Desaix Anderson, Political Officers Ted Osius and Bryan Dalton supported the efforts of JTF-FA (Osius 22). Their close coordination with Nguyễn Xuân Phong, director of the Americas office at the Foreign Ministry and Vietnam’s Office for Seeking Missing Persons, allowed JTF-FA to make steady progress in confirming that no POWs remained in Vietnam and finding the remains of American MIAs (Osius 22). To date, over 1,000 American MIAs have been identified and repatriated (Vu and Wells-Dang).

To regain the trust of the Vietnamese people, the Foreign Service had to repair the damages the US military had caused. During the Vietnam War, the US sprayed 45.6 million liters of the herbicide Agent Orange, which contained the toxic chemical dioxin, over Vietnamese forests (Phan 25). More than four million Vietnamese may have been exposed to the substance, which causes serious health effects such as cancer and heart disease (Phan 25–26). From 2013 to 2018, to address the issue of Agent Orange and promote reconciliation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense collaborated to remediate roughly 90,000 square meters of dioxin-contaminated soil at Da Nang Airport, a former US air base (US Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam). Thanks to the clean-up, commercial activity in Da Nang airport now takes place without fear of health damage due to dioxin exposure (Phan 27–28). In 2019, the two partners inaugurated a similar project to clean up Bien Hoa Air Base, the largest remaining dioxin hotspot (Phan 27). Moreover, the US is currently supporting Vietnam’s effort to locate and identify fallen Vietnamese soldiers, just as Vietnam has extensively cooperated with MIA efforts for American soldiers. The Department of Defense’s Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative aims to transfer DNA analysis technology and train Vietnamese forensic workers (Vu and Dang). The United States of Peace accompanies this initiative with policy dialogues, public communications, and workshops to stimulate people-to-people connections between the US and Vietnam (Vu and Dang).

Based on a foundation of trust and reconciliation, the Foreign Service built avenues of economic cooperation with Vietnam, allowing US businesses to capitalize on the growing Vietnamese economy. In the 1990s, even after President Clinton lifted the trade embargo in 1994, US firms in Vietnam fell behind competitors from other countries because US tariffs on goods produced in Vietnam were 40 percent higher than on most other countries, discouraging investing in Vietnamese manufacturing (Schulzinger 59). To support American companies, US negotiators worked with their Vietnamese counterparts on a bilateral trade agreement. In the agreement, signed in 2000, both countries granted each other “most favored nation” status and drastically reduced tariffs ( Agreement 2–9). Importantly, Vietnam agreed to some reforms to liberalize its economy, including abiding by more stringent intellectual property rights standards and relaxing restrictions on investment by US firms ( Agreement 10–33, 44–51).

Furthermore, public diplomacy expanded US soft power among the Vietnamese people. For example, in 2014, then-Ambassador Dave Shear obtained a grant from the State Department’s Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation to restore the Triệu Tổ Temple in the city of Huế, which had been destroyed during the Vietnam War (Osius 123). The project successfully restored local officials’ and residents’ trust in the US (Osius 123). Moreover, Public Affairs Officer Alex Titolo arranged initiatives in Huế, including student exchanges between US educational institutions and Huế University, English-language teaching, and a small US cultural center (Osius 124).

Additionally, the Foreign Service collaborates with Vietnam on Mekong River issues. Upstream, China and Laos have constructed more than seventy dams for hydroelectric power generation, threatening to disrupt Vietnam’s water supply, harm biodiversity, and reduce agricultural output (Osius 81). This issue is important not only to Vietnam but also to the US because the collapse of the Mekong ecosystem would destabilize regional security, and China’s ability to threaten to restrict water flows gives it substantial leverage over Vietnam (Lichtefeld 21). So, in 2008, following a proposal by then-Ambassador Michael Michalak, a DRAGON Institute, conducting environmental research in cooperation with the US Geological Survey, was launched at Can Tho University (Lichtefeld 17). In 2009, the US launched the Lower Mekong Initiative, supporting technical and scientific collaboration initiatives such as Forecast Mekong, which utilized data analysis to support water management and address climate variability (Lichtefeld 15, 18).

In the near future, as the US seeks to pivot to Asia and counter Chinese influence in the region, engagement with Vietnam will be more important than ever. In 2013, at a summit between President Barack Obama and Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang, Vietnam and the US upgraded their relationship to a “comprehensive partnership” based on “mutual respect and common interests” (Obama White House). Under this framework, the US supports a “strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam” (White House). As Senator John McCain wrote leading up to the normalization of relations in 1995, “It is, therefore, absolutely in our national security interests to have an economically viable Vietnam strong enough to resist, in concert with its neighbors, the heavy-handed tactics of its great power neighbor [China].”

Moving forward, the Foreign Service should facilitate defense cooperation with Vietnam regarding Chinese military activity in the South China Sea, a mutual concern. In recent years, China has aggressively asserted its “nine dash line” claim, which conflicts with Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone (Abbott 39). The US has an interest in regional stability and maintaining principles of maritime law, including sovereignty and freedom of navigation (Abbott 41). While joint military exercises would go against Vietnam’s traditional policy of non-alignment, the Foreign Service should provide technical support so that Vietnam can monitor its claim in the South China Sea, collecting and publicizing data about Chinese military vessels (Jung 55–56; Poling and Natalegawa).

In terms of economics, the Foreign Service must reinforce trade and investment ties to build soft power. Although President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017 undermined bilateral trade, the US and Vietnam can begin multilateral negotiations on a new digital trade agreement as a precursor to a broader free trade agreement (Osius 233–234; Poling and Natalegawa). Moreover, the US should increase its investment presence, emphasizing niche sectors such as education and information technology while providing feasibility studies and project assessments to support infrastructure projects led by other countries (Nguyen 51).

Of course, the Foreign Service has obstacles to overcome, such as Vietnam’s concerning human rights record. The Socialist Party of Vietnam suppresses freedom of expression, freedom of religion, ethnic minority rights, and labor rights, which leads some members of Congress to discourage closer diplomatic and security ties with Vietnam (Tran 6). However, the US must continue to expand and strengthen its partnership with Vietnam, given its significance in regional affairs. The progress that has been made since 1995 is remarkable; the Foreign Service has led a multifaceted reconciliation campaign to transform the US–Vietnam relationship from hostility to a comprehensive partnership. As in Vietnam, the Foreign Service can look to build peace and advance productive, mutually beneficial relationships around the world.

Works Cited

Abbott, Laura A. "Challenges and Opportunities for U.S.–Vietnam Security Cooperation." From Foes to Partners: Rethinking 25 Years of U.S.–Vietnam Relations , edited by Jeffrey Ordaniel and Ariel Stenek, Pacific Forum, October 2021, pp. 36-42, pacforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PacForum_Report_V06.pdf . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023. Issues & Insights Vol. 21 SR3.

* Agreement between the United States of America and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Trade Relations . 13 July 2000. United States Trade Representative , ustr.gov/sites/default/files/US-VietNam-BilateralTradeAgreement.pdf . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.

Albert, Eleanor. "The Evolution of U.S.–Vietnam Ties." Council on Foreign Relations , 20 Mar. 2019, www.cfr.org/backgrounder/evolution-us-vietnam-ties . Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.

Jung, Ki Suh. "Noise and Signal: Pursuing Common Objectives to Optimize Security Collaboration between the United States and Vietnam." From Foes to Partners: Rethinking 25 Years of U.S.–Vietnam Relations, edited by Jeffrey Ordaniel and Ariel Stenek, Pacific Forum, October 2021, pp. 52-56, pacforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PacForum_Report_V06.pdf. Accessed 18 Mar. 2023. Issues & Insights Vol. 21 SR3.

Lichtefeld, John. "Evolution of U.S.–Vietnam Cooperation on the Mekong." From Foes to Partners: Rethinking 25 Years of U.S.–Vietnam Relations , edited by Jeffrey Ordaniel and Ariel Stenek, Pacific Forum, October 2021, pp. 14-23, pacforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PacForum_Report_V06.pdf . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023. Issues & Insights Vol. 21 SR3.

Manyin, Mark E. The Vietnam-U.S. Normalization Process . Congressional Research Service, 17 June 2005, sgp.fas.org/crs/row/IB98033.pdf . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.

* McCain, John. "Opinion: Let's Normalize Relations with Vietnam." Washington Post , 15 May 1995, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lets-normalize-relations-with-vietnam/2018/08/26/6c6553f4-a934-11e8-a8d7-0f63ab8b1370_story.html . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.

Nguyen, Hanh. "U.S.–Vietnam Partnership in the Post-COVID Era: A Recalibration towards Intra-ASEAN Integration." From Foes to Partners: Rethinking 25 Years of U.S.–Vietnam Relations , edited by Jeffrey Ordaniel and Ariel Stenek, Pacific Forum, October 2021, pp. 43-51, pacforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PacForum_Report_V06.pdf . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023. Issues & Insights Vol. 21 SR3.

* Obama White House. "Joint Statement by President Barack Obama of the United States of America and President Truong Tan Sang of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam." 25 July 2013, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/07/25/joint-statement-president-barack-obama-united-states-america-and-preside . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.

Osius, Ted. Nothing Is Impossible: America's Reconciliation with Vietnam . E-book ed., New Brunswick, Rutgers UP, 2022. Kindle.

Phan, Dung Xuan. "U.S. Ex-gratia Approach toward the Agent Orange Legacy in Vietnam." From Foes to Partners: Rethinking 25 Years of U.S.–Vietnam Relations , edited by Jeffrey Ordaniel and Ariel Stenek, Pacific Forum, October 2021, pp. 24-35, pacforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PacForum_Report_V06.pdf . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023. Issues & Insights Vol. 21 SR3.

Poling, Gregory B., and Andreyka Natalegawa. The Unlikely, Indispensable U.S.-Vietnam Partnership . Center for Strategic and International Studies, 6 July 2021, www.csis.org/analysis/unlikely-indispensable-us-vietnam-partnership . Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.

Schulzinger, Robert D. A Time for Peace: The Legacy of the Vietnam War . New York City, Oxford UP, 2008.

Tran, Bich T. From 'Rebalance to Asia' to 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific': The Development of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership . East-West Center, Nov. 2019. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/resrep21068 . Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.

* United States, Congress, Senate. POW/MIA's Report of the Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs . 13 Jan. 1993, irp.fas.org/congress/1993_rpt/pow-exec.html . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023. 103rd Congress, 1st session, Senate Report 103-1.

* U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam. "United States and Vietnam Complete Environmental Remediation at Danang Airport." 7 Nov. 2018, vn.usembassy.gov/20181107-united-states-and-vietnam-complete-environmental-remediation-at-danang-airport/ . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.

Vu, Phong, and Andrew Wells-Dang. "Time Is Running Out to Account for Vietnamese War Dead." United States Institute of Peace , 16 Nov. 2022, www.usip.org/blog/2022/11/time-running-out-account-vietnamese-war-dead . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.

* White House. "FACT SHEET: Strengthening the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership." 25 Aug. 2021, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/25/fact-sheet-strengthening-the-u-s-vietnam-comprehensive-partnership . Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.

* denotes primary source

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

Upcoming Summer 2024 Application Deadline is May 12, 2024.  

Click here to apply.

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AFSA's National High School Essay Contest - 8 Reasons Why You Should Participate

If you’re in high school, you’re probably already planning your college applications – especially if you’re a junior or a senior. A significant addition to applications and your profile can be extra-curricular competitions! When your college application includes your participation and potential achievements in a prestigious contest, it shows admissions officers your intellectual curiosity, analytical abilities, and commitment to tackling real-world problems.  Admissions officers look for students who are not just academically accomplished but also curious and capable of independent, critical thinking. 

Participating in essay contests gives students the opportunity to enhance their academic portfolios, refine their writing skills, and learn more about politics and society.  One such prestigious competition is the National High School Essay Contest ,  conducted by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA).

What is the AFSA National High School Essay Contest?

Every year since 1999,  this essay contest engages high school students from across the country to learn and write about issues of peace and conflict . The competition encourages students to appreciate diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peacebuilding and protect national security. 

For the contest, students must write an essay responding to a crisis topic or prompt from the perspective of foreign service members who are trying to resolve the crisis.

The contest is AFSA’s main outreach initiative to high school students. The winner and first runner-up receive cash prizes apart from other tuition awards.  

How is it structured?

The applications for AFSA’s National High School Essay Contest are currently open.  Applications will close on April 1, 2024.

Eligibility:

Students in grades 9-12 can participate, whether their parents are in the Foreign Service or not.

Students in the US and US citizens/permanent residents attending high school overseas can participate.

Students in public, private and parochial schools can participate. Entries from home-schooled students will be accepted as well.

Students who received honorable mentions in the contest previously are eligible to participate again.

Students who have won first place in this contest previously are not eligible to participate.

Students who are immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA, Semester at Sea and National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) are not eligible to participate.

The winner of the contest will receive a $2,500 prize, in addition to a paid trip to Washington, DC, from anywhere in the country (with his or her parents). The winner also receives an all-expense paid educational voyage, courtesy of Semester at Sea. The runner-up will receive $1,250 prize, and full tuition to attend a summer session of International Diplomacy program at the prestigious National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC).

The winner's school also receives a donation of 10 copies of AFSA's Inside a U.S. Embassy: Diplomacy at Work.

Submission rules, content and judging

Your essay should be at least 1,000 words but should not exceed 1,500 words  (the word count does not apply to the list of sources).

Submissions will be judged on the quality of analysis, quality of research, and form, style and mechanics. Successful entries will answer all aspects of the prompt and demonstrate an understanding of the Foreign Service. All qualifying essays will be judged blind through several rounds of judging. 

You’ll need to submit your essay as a Microsoft Word file (.doc or .docx), written in English. 

For more submission rules, such as how to list your sources or how to format your essay, please visit this page .

Your essay will be disqualified if it does not meet the requirements or is submitted after the submission date (April 1, 2024).

Additionally, student registration forms must have a teacher or sponsor name. That person may review the submitted essay and act as the key contact between participants and AFSA. You might benefit from having a coordinator review your essay.

The 2023 Prompt:

This year, AFSA celebrates the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. Over the last century, our diplomats and development professionals have been involved in groundbreaking events in history – decisions on war and peace, supporting human rights and freedom, creating joint prosperity, reacting to natural disasters and pandemics and much more. As AFSA looks back on this century-long history, we invite you to join us in also looking ahead to the future. This year students are asked to explore how diplomats can continue to evolve their craft to meet the needs of an ever-changing world that brings fresh challenges and opportunities to the global community and America’s place in it.

Over the past 100 years the Foreign Service has faced a multitude of challenges such as world war, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, humanitarian disasters, global pandemics, and economic crises. In a 1,000-1,500-word essay please identify what you believe will be the biggest challenge to face the Foreign Service in the future. The essay will describe this challenge and clearly define how American diplomats can help mitigate it.

Tips to write a winning entry: Here’s a few suggestions, from AFSA themselves, for you to look through before submitting your essay.

Does your essay clearly demonstrate that you understand the role of the Foreign Service in carrying out American diplomacy?

Have you used past or current diplomatic efforts to support what you believe is the best response to the prompt? (Winning essays almost always do!)

Have you read through some of the past winners’  essays? You must, to get a fair idea of what makes a solid piece.

Does the essay clearly answer this year’s essay contest question?

Have you given your essay a descriptive title?

Is your essay at least 1,000 words and no more than 1,500 words long excluding works cited?

Have you made sure that your name, school, or city do NOT appear anywhere in the essay?

Have you scrupulously followed accepted standards regarding attribution of quotations, arguments, and ideas of others within the body of your paper and bibliography?

Have you made sure that Wikipedia is not a source?

Does your essay have standardized citations and bibliography?

Does your essay have the required endnotes, and not footnotes?

Are your online sources listed separately from other sources in your bibliography?

Is your teacher's name and contact information included as detailed in the contest guidelines?

Go through these additional resources  that can help you with your submission for the contest.  You can also read through this excerpt  from the book, US. Embassy: Diplomacy at Work, which details exactly what the Foreign Service is. This would be useful information to have when answering this year’s prompt!

8 Reasons to Participate:

Participating in AFSA’s National High School Essay Contest can be a rewarding experience for high school students. Here are 8 compelling reasons why you should consider taking part in this essay competition:

It is prestigious: Winning, placing as the first runner-up, or even receiving an honorable mention in this contest is considered a high honor, especially because it showcases your excellent writing and research skills.

The contest is selective: Of hundreds of submissions received, only one winner and one runner-up is selected every year. Participating (and receiving an honor) in such a selective competition displays academic achievement.

You can win a hefty cash prize, among other awards:  The winner receives a $2,500 prize, along with a paid trip to Washington, DC (including his or her parents) and an all-expense paid educational voyage, courtesy of Semester at Sea. The runner-up receives a $1,250 prize, and full tuition to attend a summer session of the International Diplomacy program at the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC). The monetary rewards can support future educational endeavors. 

It’s a great skill-building opportunity: Whether you win or not, the process of researching and writing a 1000-word essay is no small feat. It will challenge your analytical skills, giving you a chance to hone your academic abilities and critical thinking skills, preparing you for your future academics. Additionally, learning to write about a fairly broad topic in such few words is great practice for the type of writing required within university-level academics. 

It looks great on college applications: Again, whether you win or not, the fact that you attempted a submission in this contest is something to be proud of in itself. Adding that to your resume or college application looks great and can impress admissions officers! Not to mention, if you place first or second, that shows a certain level of skill and talent that admissions officers are definitely looking for. 

It is accessible and open to everyone: Unlike many competitions that charge application fees, the essay contest is free to enter, making it accessible to all interested students. This eliminates financial barriers and encourages broader participation. The competition is open to students from grades 9 to 12, spanning a range of educational backgrounds, including public, private, and home-study programs. This inclusivity ensures that students from various educational settings can participate and share their perspectives.

It will give you a solid insight into your country’s Foreign Services: Participating in this competition will allow you to delve into studying diplomatic efforts, noteworthy events in history, the challenges Foreign Services members tackle, human rights, war and peace and so much more. It will encourage you to think beyond local context and appreciate the larger picture.

It gives great exposure: The winner will attend a paid trip to Washington D.C., where they will meet a member of the White House (last year’s winner met Secretary of State Anthony Blinken), and a paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea.

One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are passionate about research, you could also consider applying to the   Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online program for students I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the   application form  here.

Also check out the   Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation , a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Image Source: AFSA's national high school essay contest logo

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Secretary Blinken Meets With the 2023 AFSA High School Essay Content Winner

Secretary of state antony j. blinken meets with justin ahn, the 2023 american foreign service association (afsa) high school essay contest winner, at the u.s. department of state in washington, d.c., on august 15, 2023. [state department photo by ron przysucha/ public domain].

As college admissions criteria evolve, applicants must showcase more than just academics. Engaging in diverse extracurriculars develops transferable skills and highlights passions. Writing competitions, in particular, distinguish applicants by demonstrating intelligence and creativity and help boost your student profile. Additionally, participating in these competitions refines essay writing skills, crucial for crafting compelling personal statements in college applications.

2024 Writing Competitions for Middle and High School Students

Entry Deadline:

2023-24 High School: June 3, 2024 2023-24 Junior High/ Middle School: June 12, 2024

Jane Austen Essay Contest

JASNA holds an annual student Essay Contest to promote the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works. Open to students worldwide, the competition offers scholarship awards in three divisions: High School, College/University, and Graduate School. Participants engage with Austen's literature, showcasing their analytical and writing skills.

The JASNA student Essay Contest is open to students worldwide, including those in high school, college/university, and graduate school, with no requirement for JASNA membership to enter.

June 1, 2024

New York Times Student Writing Contests

The New York Times hosts monthly writing contests for middle and high school students, each with unique topics and requirements. These contests offer opportunities for young authors and journalists to explore various themes and styles of writing. 

Open to middle and high school students.

Join our FREE Webinar "Unlock The Success of John Locke Writing Competitions".

Gain insights on the John Locke Essay Competition. Learn expert tips for crafting standout essays in philosophy, politics, and history.

Scholarship : 3 / My Results: 3

United States District Court

Middle district of florida, timothy j. corrigan, chief united states district judge • elizabeth warren, clerk of court, search form, you are here, 2023 high school essay contest - tampa | contest rules.

—CONTEST RULES—

The lawyers and judges of the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida , through the Middle District Bench Bar Fund , and the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association .

—Eligibility—

The contest is open to high school students in counties in the Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida: Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota. Students in the 9 th through 12 th grades attending public, private, parochial, or charter schools, and home-school or virtual students of equivalent grade status are invited to participate. Children, grandchildren, stepchildren, and members of the household of a federal judge, a federal court employee, or a member of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association  are excluded.

—Submission Deadline—

November 6, 2023, by 12:00 noon EST.

—Essay Requirements—

• Essays must respond to the prompt .
• Essays must be typed and submitted as a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), Portable Document Format (.pdf), or WordPerfect (.wp or .wpd) document.
• Essays must include citations as footnotes, endnotes, or bibliographies.
• Essays may not exceed 1,000 words not including citations.
• Essays must be the student's original work product. In submitting the essay, the student certifies that the submission represents the student's original, authored work.

—Essay Submission—

Only one essay may be submitted per student. All essays must be submitted online on or before the submission deadline. Hard-copy or late submissions will not be accepted. Please complete your essay before starting the online contest Entry Form , which includes instructions for its completion.

To submit an essay, a student must:

• Complete and submit the online contest Entry Form; and
• Upload an essay that complies with the "Essay Requirements."

—Grounds for Disqualification—

Submitting an essay that

• does not comply with these Contest Rules;
• is not the student's original, authored work;
• provides fake entry information;
• plagiarizes content; or
• is the product of an AI program such as ChatGPT.

Contest sponsors reserve the right to use AI detection tools in reviewing submissions. All decisions of disqualification will be final.

—Scoring of Qualifying Submissions—

The essays will be judged by lawyers and judges in the Tampa Division . Their decisions will be final.

The lawyers and judges will evaluate qualifying essays using the following criteria:

• Identification and explanation of a personal example of the concept, "governance without a say"
• Creativity in selection and explanation of personal example
• Analysis of Constitutional language and its application to the personal example
• Writing style

—Announcement of Winners—

The top ten finalists will be announced on the Middle District's website no later than November 28, 2023. Winners will be announced and prizes distributed at a special ceremony at the Sam M. Gibbons United States Courthouse on Monday, December 11, 2023, at 4:30 p.m., in Courtroom 14 B. The first place winner will be invited to shadow a Tampa Division United States District Judge  at a mutually agreeable weekday and time.

—Submission of IRS Form W-9—

To comply with the Internal Revenue Code , the first and second place winners will be required to complete and provide the Court with an IRS Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification  prior to receipt of their prize monies.

—License to Use Essays, Names, and Photographs—

Winners will be asked to submit a Work and Photo Release allowing the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association  to publish their essays in print or on their websites and to use their photographs in contest-related promotional materials, which may include photographs taken at the courthouse.

Links to Essay Contest Information

Contest Home Page

Essay Prompt

Information for Teachers

Top 10 Finalists Announced for the 2023 High School Essay Contest - Tampa

Winners Announced for the 2023 High School Essay Contest - Tampa

National Peace Essay Contest

Ages: High School

Type: Submission

Scope: National

[email protected]

Participate

USIP is proud to partner with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest for 2016-2017. The contest engages high school students each year in learning and writing about issues of peace and conflict, encouraging appreciation for diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peace-building and protect national security.

The 2016-2017 contest challenges students to closely examine the causes and impact of the refugee crisis. The winner of the contest will receive a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to meet the secretary of state and USIP leadership, and a full-tuition paid voyage with Semester at Sea upon the student’s enrollment at an accredited university. The runner-up will receive a $1,250 cash prize and a full scholarship to participate in the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference.

Submit an essay based on the year’s essay contest question.

Website: https://www.usip.org/public-education/students/AFSAEssayContest

Managing Organization: The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP)

Contact: [email protected]

Eligibility: High School Students in the United States.

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