2024 Winning Essay by Ruby McIntee (pdf) List of 2024 Winners, Finalists, Semifinalists, Honorable Mentions Vito Anthony Marcantonio: The Idea Lives On By Ruby McIntee High School of Dundee Dundee
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The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation invites U.S. high school students to describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born.
Submissions are evaluated on content (demonstrated understanding of political courage, originality, supporting evidence, source material) and presentation (quality of writing, organization, conventions.) Includes information about disqualifications.
A checklist to guide your research and writing process. Includes links to Profiles in Courage and other rich resources.
The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas.
The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation gratefully acknowledges Boeing for its generous support of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest.
Answers to frequently asked questions about the contest topic and requirements, citations and bibliography, the role of the nominating teacher, and more.
The 2024 Profile in Courage Essay Contest opens for submissions on September 1, 2023. The contest deadline is January 12, 2024.
This resource explains the essay topic in more detail and provides helpful guidelines for writing and research.
Read past winning essays to see examples of excellent submissions.
Resources to help you prepare an excellent essay: Elements of a Strong Essay, Helpful Tips for Writing, Guidelines for Citations and Bibliography, and Criteria for Judging.
The first-place winner receives $10,000. Second-place receives $3,000. Five finalists receive $1,000 each. Ten semifinalists receive $100 each. Eight students receive honorable mention.
Each student participant must have a “nominating teacher” who provides support and advice during the research and writing process. Nominating teachers are asked to proofread students’ essays, make
Helpful suggestions on note-taking and citations to ensure that you submit original work.