Check out these fun ways to challenge your mind and win fun prizes!
- Creative Communication
Students grades K-12 write an essay on a topic they feel is important to compete for prizes such as a $50 savings bond.
- Kid's Astronomy Essay Contest
Sponsored by Sky and Telescope Magazine, kids ages 5-18 write a short essay on astronomy to compete for prizes ranging from $50-$200. Check site for details on subcategories.
- Americanism Essay Contest
Annual contest offered to students in grades 7-12, with the first-place winner granted a $15,000 savings bond.
- Ayn Rand Institute Essay Contest
Contest open to middle schoolers, high schoolers and college students to write an Ayn Rand-themed essay for cash prizes.
- Tiger Woods Foundation Fist Pump Challenge
Ongoing contest open to U.S. students aged 13-18 to share any positive achievement in essay or video format, with the chance of winning prizes.
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Jonathan Friesen Reclaim the Name Writing Contest
Students can write a short story about a character who discovers, through a personal journey, who he/she truly is, with winners receiving cash prizes ranging from $100 to $1,000.
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Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Students grades 7-12 submit their best works of visual art - including sculpture, painting, ceramics, photography, animation, video and animation - and writing - including poetry, play scripts, personal essay, works of journalism, satire and short fiction - to compete for scholarships.
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My Turn Essay Contest
Annual essay competition sponsored by Kaplan and Newsweek. Enrolled U.S. high school students intending to go to a college or university after high school can submit a 500-1,000 word essay on a topic of choice to win cash prizes ranging from $1,000-$5,000.
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John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Annual competition open to high school students nationwide to write an original essay about an elected official who has demonstrated political courage to receive awards totaling up to $8,500.
- Society of Professional Journalists Essay Contest
Contest open to high school students nationwide to write an essay on a given media-related topic, with winners receiving scholarship awards ranging from $300-$1,000.
- National Peace Essay Contest
Annual essay contest sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace, open to high school students to write a peace-themed essay for cash prizes.
- The Holocaust Remembrance Project
National essay contest open to high school students in the United States and Mexico, designed to encourage and promote the study of the Holocaust. Contestants compete for scholarships and a trip to Washington, D.C.
- Alliance for Science Essay Contest
National annual contest open to high school students to submit essays of not more than 1,000 words on a theme selected by the alliance, with prizes starting at $300 for first place.
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UNA-USA National High School Essay Contest
National essay contest on a topic related to the United Nations Students in grades 9-12 can write an essay no longer than 1,500 words to compete scholarship prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500.
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Annual Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest
Each year, a new book is chosen for students to read and write about. High school juniors or seniors or home-schooled students between the ages of 16-18 are eligible to compete to win a $1,000 scholarship.
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The Humanist Essay Contest for Young Women and Men of North America
Contest is open to students residing in the United States or Canada who are enrolled in grades 9-12 to compete for $1,000 and a three-year membership to the American Humanist Association.
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American Fire Sprinkler Association National Scholarship Essay Contest
Ten $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to select students who read a 3,000 word sprinkler essay and complete the exam that follows. For each correct answer, the student will be reentered into the competition.
- First Freedom Student Competition
High school students compete for a $3,000, $1,500 and $750 award, as they examine religious freedom, its history, current importance, and relevance in their lives.
- Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Contest
High school students compose an audio-essay on a theme selected by the U.S. Veterans of Foreign Wars to compete for more than $3 million in scholarships.
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- The American Mathematics Competitions
Various math competitions open to qualifying students of all grade levels.
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Team America Rocketry Challenge
Students in grades 7-12 can register as a team to design and build a safe and stable one-stage model rocket. Prizes include $60,000 in cash and scholarships and participation in NASA's advanced rocketry program Student Launch Initiative.
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NASA Space Settlement Contest
International contest open to 6th-12th graders (11-18 years old). Students compete in teams to develop space settlement designs and related materials for various prizes.
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- Global Virtual Classroom Contest
Global team cooperation and Web site-building activity for students from 7 to 18 years of age. Awards range from $3,000 to $750 per team.
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ThinkQuest Web site Competition
Teams create an original Web site on a topic of global importance for a student audience. Prizes include a trip to ThinkQuest Live in San Francisco, laptop computers, digital cameras and school monetary grants.
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International Schools CyberFair
Students ages 5-19 years old conduct research about their local communities, then publish their findings on the Web for various prizes and awards.
- Doors to Diplomacy
U. S. Department of State "Doors to Diplomacy" educational challenge to encourage middle school and high school students to produce Web projects that teach others about the importance of international affairs and diplomacy. Students on winning team receive a $2,000 scholarship, and the winning coaches' schools each receive a $500 cash award.
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Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Students ages 8-18 must be nominated by a qualifying adult for their leadership and courage in developing and implementing an exceptional service project. Ten students will be chosen to win $2,500 to be applied to their higher education or service project.
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The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
Art, photo and other project-based contests open to students of all ages.
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World of Escher Contest
International Escher-inspired creative contest that combines mathematics and artistic ability; prizes awarded.
- National History Day Contest
Students in grades 6-12 engage in discovery and interpretation of historical topics related to an annual theme. Awards range from $250 to $1,000, in addition to other prizes.
- The Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program
Contest open to girls ages 12-18 who demonstrate budding entrepreneurship. Prizes totaling $30,000 are granted to three top winners and 12 finalists each year to further their entrepreneurial pursuits or save for college.
- National High School Chef of the Year
High school students submit an original creation recipe to compete for tuition scholarship prizes to JWU culinary school.
- Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition
High school students submit original research projects using the methods that epidemiologists utilize to discover ways to improve the health of the public to compete for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.
- Fastweb
Great site for finding scholarships, internships and other resources.
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