Who May Enter
The essay contest is open to all students currently in grades 9 through 12 from Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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.
Essay Prompt
In light of Meyer and later cases, may a state, consistent with the protections afforded by the First and Fourteenth Amendments, prohibit the teaching of certain subjects?
Length & Format
Essays are limited to 1,000 words (strictly enforced). Citations should be placed in footnotes, endnotes, or bibliographies and excluded from the word count. Submit your essay as a Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF document attached to your email, not a link. Do not include your name on your essay.
Submission Deadline
Your essay and entry form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The contest entry form has instructions for submitting your essay. Your essay should be completed and submitted with your entry form.