Civics Essay Contest

This is a real program, but some details for the current cycle are not published or not yet confirmed. Check the official source before you plan around it.

Award

The 2025-26 contest paid a $5,000 first-place cash prize and $2,500 each for second and third. The 2026-27 prize terms have not been posted.

Deadline

The sponsor said the next contest would be announced in fall 2026, but no 2026-27 prompt, rules or deadline have been posted. The prior deadline was February 6, 2026.

How to apply

The posted 2025-26 rules required one original 750-1,000-word essay without outside help, a Works Cited page in MLA or APA format for quoted/paraphrased sources, and student entry plus student/parent release forms emailed by the deadline. Identifying details in the essay body/title were disqualifying. The 2026-27 prompt, forms and rules are not yet posted.

Who can apply

Posted 2025-26 rules: New Hampshire students in grades 11-12 at public, private, parochial or charter schools in the state, plus equivalent-grade New Hampshire homeschool students. Future-cycle criteria are not yet confirmed.

Good to know

The 2025-26 topic asked whether AI companies should compensate authors, rather than requiring constitutional-case citations specifically. Its deadline was February 6, 2026 at 5 p.m.; 2026 winners are announced. No 2026-27 contest terms are published. Do not reuse last year’s prompt or release form for a new cycle.