free speech essay contest scholarship

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Free Speech Essay Contest

Offered by Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

7 awards worth up to

Grade level.

High School Juniors & Seniors

Expected deadline: This scholarship might not currently be accepting applications. Most scholarship programs only accept applications a few months ahead of their annual deadline. We’ve estimated this deadline based on last year’s deadline in order to help you plan out your scholarship applications.

December 2022

Scholarship Overview

Are you attending a U.S. high school or are a U.S. citizen attending high school elsewhere? Further, are you a junior or senior who’s passionate about free speech? If so, consider applying for the Free Speech Essay Contest! Each year, the contest awards between $500 and $10,000 to nine applicants who submit the best 700 – 900 word essays on the year’s prompt, which almost always revolve around the importance of free speech. The contest is run by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, an organization with a mission to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought.

If you value free speech and want to express that right through writing, we encourage you to apply for the Free Speech Essay Contest!

Eligibility information

This scholarship is open to high school juniors and seniors attending a high school in the U.S. (or abroad if you’re a U.S. citizen). Applicants must also meet the below eligibility requirements.

U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, Canadian Citizens, DACA, Other

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Application information.

To apply for this scholarship, students must submit an online application in addition to the below application materials.

900-word essay

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Let Grow's Think for Yourself Essay Contest Awards $8,000 in Scholarships

Every year, Let Grow asks high school students to think about the importance of free speech, curiosity, and open-mindedness in their everyday lives. We award a $5,000 scholarship to the Grand Prize Winner, and $1,000 each to three Runners-Up.

Students submit 600-800 word essays about their personal experiences with these ideas. We want real-life stories of growth and change (not your resume or bio).

Since launching in 2018 we have received over 25,000 entries and awarded $40,000 in college scholarships.

The winners’ essays have been published in  USA Today , The New York Post , The New York Daily News , The San Francisco Chronicle , The New Jersey Ledger , Quilette , and EdWeek .

The submission window is now closed. No more entries will be accepted.

Time to read all your essays, and we'll select a winner in august., what to write, choose one of the following prompts. your 600-800 word response must be a personal narrative, written by yourself, about yourself and your opinions. we want real-life stories of growth and change (not your resume or bio, or 5 paragraphs about to kill a mockingbird )., write about a time you chose or unexpectedly had to do something new and important on your own. how did that experience change you and why did being independent matter, some say teens and even young adults in college should be shielded from controversial books, ideas, or speakers. do you agree why or why not if yes, who would you let decide what you could be exposed to, how has social media impacted your willingness to be authentic, share your true thoughts, learn about other people’s ideas, and/or engage seriously with them please give us one or more examples., write about a time someone changed your mind about an idea or belief you strongly held. how did this change happen and what did you learn from the process is there anything you’ll do differently from now on, write about a time you didn’t speak up — or almost didn’t — for fear your idea or viewpoint might be unpopular. was this the right decision and would you do the same thing again, how to write it, your 600-800 word response must be a personal narrative, written by yourself, about yourself and your opinions. we want real-life stories of growth and change (not your resume or bio, or 5 paragraphs about to kill a mockingbird )., the form will not allow you to save and return, so have your pdf essay ready to upload., file requirements (we want you to think for yourself but also follow these instructions), copy the prompt you are writing about at the top of your essay., to help us judge fairly, do not include your full name on your essay., write at least 600 words but not more than 800 words (title is not included)., only a pdf file can be uploaded., submissions will be checked for plagiarism and use of chatgpt or other ai tools. you need to think for yourself, not ask ai or someone else to think for you..

FIRE’s Free Speech Essay Contest

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Amount Awarded

Application deadline, foundation for individual rights in education (fire).

• This award is for U.S. students.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be a high school junior or senior at the time of application.

In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

Application requirements for the FIRE’s Free Speech Essay Contest are:

• Application form

Award Amount: One $10,000 first prize, one $5,000 second prize, three $1,000 third place prizes and four $500 prizes will be awarded.  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $20,000.

Deadline for this scholarship is Thursday, December 31

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Academic Liberty & Free Speech Scholarship

Free speech is a cornerstone of democracy and equality, fundamental principles upon which the American higher education system was founded.

It is important to support students whose studies highlight the crucial role that free speech plays in encouraging intellectual diversity and critical thinking. Liberal arts education, social sciences, and other interdisciplinary studies foster a broad base of knowledge, demonstrating diversity of thought and critical thinking. The Academic Liberty & Free Speech Scholarship will support students who work to further the values of free speech and critical thought.

All undergraduate students are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to those who demonstrate an openness to diversity of thought, demonstrated by, for example, majoring in liberal arts, social sciences, or interdisciplinary studies or serving on the mock trial or debate team. To apply, write about how free speech contributes to intellectual and personal development.

How does free speech contribute to the intellectual and personal development of American college students? Why is it essential to preserve this fundamental right, and how does your field of study or extracurricular activities advance diversity of thought and critical thinking, preserving free speech on campus?

Winners and Finalists

September 2023

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The application deadline is Apr 17, 2024. Winners will be announced on May 17, 2024.

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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.

The winner will be publicly announced on May 17, 2024. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.

Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.

Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.

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Free Speech Essay Contest

Sponsored by: Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

Apply Online

Applicants must be juniors or seniors in U.S. high schools including home-schools and U.S. citizens attending overseas schools. Students must submit an essay pertaining to the topic of free speech and censorship.

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Scholarship Administrator Foundation for Individual Rights in Education 170 South Independence Mall West, Suite 510 Philadelphia, PA 19106 United States

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Free Speech Essay Contest

FIRE's mission is to protect individual rights and now they want to help students by giving away one $10,000 to the first-place winner, $5,000 to the second-place winner, three third-place winners will get $1,000 each and 4 fourth-place winners get $500.

Scholarship Amount: $10000

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FIRE's Free Speech Essay Contest

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

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PEN America Free Expression Essay Competition

PEN America is inviting submissions for a national student essay competition about the role of free expression in today’s world. If you’re in high school or college, PEN America wants to know what you think about the threats to this crucial right! Essays will be judged for their originality, clarity of thought, and relevance to free expression by experts at PEN America and prominent guest judges. Winning essays will be published on PEN America’s website, and promoted on our social media channels. We are very pleased to offer over $10,000 in prizes to the competition winners.

For our third year of the Free Expression Essay Competition, PEN America invites students to write essays on any issue related to free expression in the U.S. or abroad, at a length of 1,000 words for both the high school and college competition levels.

Applicants must be residing in the United States and provide a U.S. mailing address. Please enter the competition level based on your school year at the time of submission. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] with ‘Essay Competition’ in the subject line.”

We ask that you please submit your essay as a PDF through our online application portal on Submittable . On Submittable, you will be prompted to create a free account in order to access the entry submission form and upload your materials. All submissions must be received on or before March 8th at 11:59pm ET.

Winners will be announced in May 2024.

From school board meetings to statehouses, and foreign newsrooms to digital spaces — there are threats to free expression in societies around the world. PEN America wants to know: what do you think about free expression? Why is it important? How can it change the world?

Submit an original essay answering the questions above for a chance to be recognized by experts in the field, rewarded with a prize and share your views to educate others. You might consider the following areas of focus:

• What does “free expression” mean to you?
• Why does free expression matter in a democracy?
• Why is it important to have free speech for all, regardless of lines of difference?
• How does hate impede free expression? And how can free expression fight hate?
• What do you think about free expression online? Is it the same or different from other public arenas for discourse?
• Are bans on certain books in schools or libraries a free expression issue? Are there different considerations for school libraries and public libraries? Should there be limits on content for students? What harm might book bans in schools or libraries do?
• Is there a way to reconcile limits on information with free expression protections? Are there reasonable limits society should impose to curb efforts to confuse and misinform the public?
• How safe is freedom of the press in the U.S. today? What are some current threats to this right?
• What Supreme Court ruling related to free expression in the U.S. is most vital to safeguarding the future of our democracy?
• Why is free expression protected as an international human right? What efforts are needed to defend it?

Statement on plagiarism: The PEN America Free Expression Essay Competition maintains a zero tolerance policy for submissions that have been plagiarized, including submissions that fail to incorporate proper citations. Those who submit an essay that is not entirely their own will be disqualified from the Free Expression Essay Competition without warning. PEN America reserves the right to investigate whether a submission has been plagiarized. Should your essay require citations, y ou may use any citation system you prefer (e.g. APA , Chicago , MLA , etc.), as long as your citation style is consistent throughout your essay.

For each competition level, we will honor 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. The top three college-level essayists will receive $2,000, $1,500, and $1,000 respectively; and the top three high school-level essayists will receive $1,500, $1,000, and $500 respectively.

MEET THE 2023 WINNERS

OUR SPONSORS

Yes – anybody between ages 15 and 23 can submit an essay, regardless of enrollment status. Whether you’re on a gap year or not pursuing school at this time, your opinion on the state of free expression matters. Your competition level will be determined by your age at the time of submission.

We accept essays that satisfy the competition’s word count and prompt, and that are original works of nonfiction. Your essay must present a coherent idea, and may be told from any perspective (first, second, or third person). The essay must be in English. We cannot accept multimedia submissions.

No, your essay must be your original work. You can ask others for feedback before submitting, but by entering the competition, you agree that your submission is your own idea and creation.

If you are under 18 years of age, be sure to obtain your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission before you send any information about yourself (such as your name, email address, etc.) to PEN America or anyone else over the Internet.

Yes, as long as you are between the ages of 15-23. Please enter the competition level based on your age at the time of entry, and put “Homeschool” as the name of your school on the Submittable form.

Your essay will be judged by PEN America staff, free expression advocates, educators, writers, and artists. The judging panel will represent a range of interests and expertise. Essays considered finalists for awards will be reviewed by a minimum of three judges. The judges’ decision will be final. Given the volume of entries anticipated, PEN America regrets that it will not be able to answer individual questions about the outcome.

Your essay will be anonymously evaluated for its originality of thought; ability to effectively communicate your ideas; and demonstration of a well constructed argument, supported by examples and knowledge of your subject. The most successful essays will reveal a genuine interest in free expression and its potential to change the world.

Winners will be announced in May 2023.

If you are selected to win a prize, PEN America will contact you via the email address provided through your Submittable account. There are no restrictions on how you use your award. Winners may be required to verify their eligibility.

Winning essays will be published on  PEN America’s website .

Join PEN America Today

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Scholarship detail

Free Speech Essay Contest

Open to juniors and seniors in U.S. high schools, including home-schooled students, as well as U.S. citizens attending high school overseas. Before You Start Get to know us! The mission of FIRE is to defend and sustain individual rights at America’s colleges and universities. These rights include freedom of speech, legal equality, due process, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience—the essential qualities of individual liberty and dignity. In addition to defending the rights of students and faculty, FIRE works to educate students and the general public on the necessity of free speech and its importance to a thriving democratic society. The freedom of speech, enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution, is a foundational American right. Nowhere is that right more important than on our college campuses, where the free flow of ideas and the clash of opposing views advance knowledge and promote human progress. It is on our college campuses, however, where some of the most serious violations of free speech occur, and where students are regularly censored simply because their expression might offend others. The Prompt In a persuasive letter or essay, convince your peers that free speech is a better idea than censorship. Your letter or essay must be between 700-900 words. We encourage you to draw from current events, historical examples, our free speech comic, other resources on FIRE’s website, and/or your own personal experiences. Note: While there is no required format for your submission, many entrants use MLA guidelines. Successful entries will show an understanding of the importance of free speech and the pitfalls of censorship. You may use in-text citations, and do not need to include a References or Works Cited page. Essays that do not address the prompt question or fail to meet the word-count requirements will not be considered. View the essays of some of our past winners on our website! ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE URL BELOW.

Website: https://www.thefire.org/resources/high-school-network/essay-contest/

Contact information

Foundation for individual rights in education.

• [email protected]
• Suite 1250, 510 Walnut St., Philadelphia, United States
• https://www.thefire.org/resources/high-school-network/essay-contest/

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Table of Contents

Fire’s 2021 free speech essay contest winners.

• Josh Haverlock

Another year, another $20,000 in scholarship prizes awarded among nine fantastic essay writers. The results are in for FIRE’s annual Free Speech Essay Contest , and we have some thought-provoking essays to share and student-authors to congratulate.

We asked students to write a persuasive letter or essay to convince their peers that free speech is a better idea than censorship — and we are, as always, impressed by the creativity and carefully-crafted arguments that abound in the submissions.

Our winners should be very proud of themselves for producing essays that stand out among the nearly 2,000 submissions we received. We were pleased to read how passionate so many students are about free speech — the future is bright!

A special shout-out goes to first-place winner Sabrina Morera from Doral, Florida, whose essay is so good we had to include it in our newest lesson plan for teachers: Free Speech in America vs. Other Countries . The essay illustrates the troublesome history of censorship in Cuba, giving students a glimpse of what life is like in a place intolerant of dissenters. You can read her full essay below.

Here are 2021’s best of the best:

First place - $10,000 scholarship

Sabrina Morera — Doral Performing Arts and Entertainment Academy (Doral, Fla.)

Second place - $5,000 scholarship

Jessica Atkins — Mother of Divine Grace School (Ojai, Calif.)

Third place - $1,000 scholarship

Zoe Leatherwood — Arlington High School (Arlington, Tenn.)

Benjamin Heim — Lenox Memorial High School (Lenox, Mass.)

Max Abubucker — Towson High School (Towson, Md.)

Runners-up - $500 scholarship

Eleanor Israel — Home Life Academy (Jackson, Tenn.)

Nick Odle — Homeschool (Rochester, N.Y.)

Josh Mason — Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross, Ga.)

Christopher Danner — Red Lion Area Senior High School (Red Lion, Pa.)

Sabrina Morera’s First Place Entry — $10,000 Scholarship

In the year 1980, my mom was a senior in high school, like I am today. Like me, she aspired to attend college and study what she was passionate about. However, when my uncle tried leaving the country, she was not allowed to go to college due to my family’s political beliefs. Throughout her years in the Cuban education system, she had been taught to glorify a government, which, led by Castro, imprisoned, tortured, and executed those who disagreed with this system. For this reason, they feared that someone like her, who was aware of the reality of the country, would receive an education. Authoritarian governments fear free thinkers, as they can create change and lead others towards liberty. Hence, freedom in educational institutions is a virtue which one should value, as it allows us to create the future that we want — rather than one that is imposed on us. 

My parents brought me to this country at a young age for one thing: freedom. They brought me so that, unlike my mother, I would attend college regardless of my family’s political opinion. So that, unlike my great uncle, I would not be incarcerated and tortured for not supporting the government. So that unlike my uncle, I would not be threatened if I ever tried to leave the country. So that unlike every Cuban, I would not be indoctrinated and censored throughout my education. Today, free speech is in danger in universities throughout the United States — posing democracy at risk. 

My awareness of the importance of freedom has been harbored by cognizance of what it is like to live without it. When students are not allowed to speak freely, it takes away from their ability to learn, understand others, and create a better future. When institutions censor students, it creates an ambiance of fear. How can this occur in the “land of the free, and the home of the brave,” the country which has been seen as a beacon of liberty? The first amendment to the Constitution grants freedom of expression to the people of the United States. If this is limited in colleges, not only is the Constitution being violated, but a generation of Americans are being taught to diminish the value of their freedom and to conform to limitations imposed by those with power. This places our country’s democracy in danger, as college education has a large influence on young people — the future leaders and professionals of the United States. 

Censorship creates a uniformity with which this country was not founded. Historically, the two-party system in the United States has maintained democracy and prevented one-sidedness. However, if students are taught that they must all think the same and are not allowed to hear opposing opinions, this balance will be tipped — taking away the essence of the United States. 

Students’ rights should be respected in colleges, the same way that they should be respected by any government or ruler.

The concept of freedom is one that has been explored by people of different backgrounds and political spectrums. For example, the Cuban thinker José Martí, described liberty as “the right of every man to be honest, to think and speak without hypocrisy.” Similarly, founding father Benjamin Franklin described freedom as a right, one which “is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the Gods and nature.” Freedom has been seen by philosophers as a right to think and express ourselves, one which we receive at birth and should not be taken by men. This concept of natural rights roots from enlightenment thinker John Locke, who stated that we are all born with natural rights — life, liberty, and property — those of which cannot be taken away by the government. The United States was founded with these

principles, as they are a primary aspect of the Constitution. Why should an educational institution, which allows students to form their future, be given the power to take away the ideals which formed this country? 

Taking away freedom at lower levels, such as schools, can serve as a catalyst to the elimination of liberty on a larger scale. This would follow the patterns of the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Revolutionary Cuba, and many other dictatorships which have not allowed the youth to truly learn and be exposed to ideas different than the ones that have been imposed upon them. One should be able to express any belief without any sort of fear, as this is the reason that many have left their home countries or rebelled against their government. Lack of freedom, historically, has led to rebellion — one can see this with monarchies and authoritarian governments. Therefore, taking away freedom in colleges can lead to manifestations of rebellion, or can opposingly lead to fear — both of which can be avoided by respecting students’ Constitutional rights.

Overall, students’ rights should be respected in colleges, the same way that they should be respected by any government or ruler. Freedom leads to creation, collaboration, and understanding, while censorship leads to insurrection, misunderstanding, and closed-mindedness. As a Cuban American, I have learned that freedom prevails in darkness. I have been witness to how free thinking has brought my parents towards a better future, and how lack of freedom in a country leads to uneducated and uninformed citizens. Hence, students like me should use their freedom of speech to limit censorship, as freedom is a vehicle for progress and knowledge.

Be sure to check out more top essays here .

We’ll open 2022’s contest in September, so remember to point current sophomores and juniors our direction if they’d like a chance at earning their share of the $20,000 we distribute annually to those who write the best student essays.

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Wednesday, December 13, 2023

The Hope and Stanley Adelstein Free Speech Essay Contest 2024

Ariana Smith, Educational Engagement Manager, The City Club of Cleveland

Since 2013, The Hope and Stanley Adelstein Free Speech Essay Contest has challenged high school students in Northeast Ohio to examine the role of free speech in the 21st century. The essay contest was established by Hope and Stanley as part of the City Club’s Centennial celebration. The Adelstein's were longtime City Club members, philanthropists, and environmental activists. Stanley joined the City Club in 1941 and remained an active member until his death in 2014. Hope’s hallmark was civic involvement, and she was active in the Cleveland community until her death in 2016.

All high school students in Northeastern Ohio are eligible to apply for scholarship prizes. Each submitted essay should pull from personal experience, current events, history, politics, art, or any other source that can be backed up with evidence. Essays will be judged on their clarity, content, originality, and significance.

2024 Essay Contest Prompt:

In an era of advancing artificial intelligence and digital communication, we have transformed the way we share information. These new technological advancements, especially AI, present complex challenges for freedom of speech.

Discuss the potential impacts of AI and how society can uphold the principles of the First Amendment while navigating this changing technological terrain.

The 2024 Hope and Stanley Adelstein Essay Contest is officially open for submissions!!!

Click here to submit your essay.

Click here to read the eligibility details

Submission Deadline: Friday, February 16th

11/12 Grade -

First Place: $1,000

Second Place: $750

Third Place: $500

Honorable Mention: $250

9/10 Grade-

First Place: $500

Second Place: $250

Third Place: $150

Honorable Mention: $100

For any questions regarding the Essay Contest, please contact Ariana Smith at [email protected]

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2023 Civics Essay Contest Prompts

2023 essay contest prompts.

Grades 3 - 8

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech. What happens when people are free to say anything they want in person or online? For example, yelling "fire" in a crowded room or posting hateful words on social media. What kind of free speech situations require a judge or police officer to get involved to keep the peace?

Grades 9 - 12

In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a high school cheerleader could not be punished in school for using curse words on social media when commenting about not making the cheer team while she was off school grounds. Do you think students should be held to the same standard when exercising their First Amendment right to freedom of speech whether they’re on or off school property? Decide if there are circumstances where students should be punished by a court of law for what they say or write to maintain civility.

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The Winners of Our Open Letter Contest

See the more than 150 finalists and read the top nine winning letters on hearing aids, colonialism, A.I. art and more.

By The Learning Network

What’s bothering you? Who could do something about it? What could you say to persuade that person to care or to make change? How could you make us care, too?

Those are the questions we posed to teenagers for our new Open Letter Contest this spring, inviting students to write public-facing letters to people or groups about issues that mattered to them. We received over 8,000 in response.

Written to senators about making health care more accessible, to Gen Z about embracing kindness, and to Taylor Swift about reducing her carbon emissions, the letters were direct, passionate and powerful. We even received one addressed to us, The Learning Network, to which we will be posting a reply next week.

Below, and in this PDF , you’ll find the list of the more than 150 finalists whose work we are honoring. We’ll be publishing the nine winning letters in full — one each day over the next two weeks. We hope you’ll read them and let the writers know what you think by commenting on their work.

But, as we know from running contests for years, winning isn’t the only reward. In their accompanying process statements, many echoed this sentiment by Victoria Anderson-Lynch, whose letter to street harassers made it to our final round of judging:

It started as a prompt given to me as an assignment signaling the end of our grading period, nothing more than another thing to add to my ever growing to-do list … Somewhere along the way my priorities changed. This letter has no longer been written for the sake of having it done, it’s not for any teacher or grade. I am not submitting this with any intention of winning, because what I have discovered throughout this writing process is something more powerful than an award will ever hold. I was given the privilege of finding my voice. For the first time in my life I understand the power my words hold. I hope someday others will resonate with that power and use it to find a voice of their own.

Thank you to all the students who participated, and to the educators who took a chance on this new contest.

If you enjoyed this challenge, join us for our Summer Reading Contest through Aug. 16.

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