CBC Spouses Essay Contest
The essay contest provides academically talented and highly-motivated high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to address a topic that embodies some of our communities’ most pressing issues and are asked to write an essay to defend their research, analyses and opinion. Submissions are judged by a special committee of CBC Spouses.
Winners will participate in a panel discussion on the topic during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference (CBCF-ALC) in September.
Eligibility
• Essay contest is open to high school juniors and seniors (grades 11 and 12) at time of submission of essay.
• Essay contestants must reside in a district represented by a Congressional Black Caucus Member.
• Be a U.S. citizen/legal permanent resident.
• Contestants should identify as Black or African-American
General Rules
• All essays must be submitted online.
• Contestants must compose an original essay with limited guidance from adults and teachers.
• The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) will have the right to publish, in full or in part, or otherwise duplicate any essay entered in the contest, along with the author’s name, without payment to the author.
• All entries must be received by March 31, 2024, 11:59 pm EST.
Essay Guidelines
• All essays must be submitted online.
• Essays should be original compositions; no less than 750 words, and no more than 1000 words with evidence that supports their findings.
• Essays will be judged on overall content, quality, universality, style and grammar and alignment with contest theme.
- Award
- Varies
- Scopes
- Scholarships
- Deadline
- 03/31/2024
- Supplemental Questions
- Essay Prompt: According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 47% of Black Americans are more likely than other racial groups to say selective colleges should consider race and ethnicity in admissions. However, as we know the Supreme Court did not agree and struck down race -conscious admissions as a factor of consideration. Please base your essay on one or any of the four questions. For clarity, you may include one or up to all four questions in your essay: 1. Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down race-based admissions? Why or why not?; 2. Will the Supreme Court decision affect your choice of applying for colleges? Why or why not?; 3. Does the Supreme Court decision draw you closer to applying at HBCUs and/or were you including HBCUs in your overall application process regardless of the Supreme Court decision? Please explain your thought process in this decision.; 4. Do you believe that colleges and universities can be diverse without affirmative action plans? Why or why not?