Who May Enter
The Fourth Circuit Student Essay Contest is open to all students currently in grades 6 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.
Submission Deadline
Your essay and entry form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, May 31, 2024. The contest entry form has instructions for submitting your essay. Your essay must be submitted at the same time as your entry form.
Judging
- Understanding of constitutional principles (35 points)
Demonstrates a clear understanding of the historical context and significance of Brown v. Board of Education.
- Analysis and interpretation (25 points)
Provides thoughtful analysis and considers competing viewpoints before reaching a conclusion.
- Clarity and organization (20 points)
Presents ideas clearly and in well-structured paragraphs. Maintains focus on a central theme.
- Evidence and support (10 points)
Identifies and attributes information from credible sources. Students will not be graded based on citation format, but the reader should be able to easily identify the source.
- Grammar, spelling, and composition (10 points)
Uses appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure, with minimal spelling or grammatical errors.
Exceeding the word limit, missing the submission deadline, using AI-generated content, plagiarizing content, providing false entry information, and not adhering to the rules are grounds for disqualification.