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David McCullough Essay Prize

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David McCullough Essay Prizes

Read the winning 2024 essays below..

High school students in our Affiliate School Program are encouraged to participate in the prestigious David McCullough Essay Prize competition.

The 2025 contest launches on December 16.

Image: David McCullough at Trinity School in Manhattan, October 15, 2019

Author David McCullough at Trinity School in Manhattan, October 15, 2019

$5000 1st Prizes

$1500 2nd Prizes

$500 3rd Prizes

An Essay Competition Honoring a Master Storyteller

This contest is named in memory of David McCullough (1933–2022)—a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Gilder Lehrman Life Trustee—and honors his career telling America’s stories and examining its histories.

Learn more about his life and legacy

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners!

A panel of Gilder Lehrman master teachers selected the pool of finalists from 621 submissions, from which a jury of eminent historians selected the winners. A total of 252 schools participated in the 2024 competition from 38 US states, Washington DC, the US Virgin Islands, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, and North Macedonia. Essays were evaluated for their historical rigor, clarity, correctness of style, use of evidence, empathy, and imagination. 

2025 Contest

The 2025 David McCullough Essay Prize Contest will be launched on December 16, 2024. The essay prizes will follow the same structure and use the same rubrics as the 2024 contest. 

To assist students, teachers, and parents in their preparation, the Institute will host a Virtual Research Night aimed at supporting high school–level research. This program will be led by Professor Kenya Davis-Hayes from California Baptist University, a Scholar Judge for the prize, alongside staff from the Gilder Lehrman Institute. They will share valuable sources and strategies for effective research and writing. 

Additional details on submission guidelines and the date of the Virtual Research Night will be announced on December 16. Questions? Contact [email protected] .

Interpretive Category Essay Winners

Interpretive category, research category essay winners, research category, about the contest, essay types.

Detail of handwritten letter from Edward Carrington to Henry Knox

Interpretive Essay

Students are invited to submit an interpretive essay focusing on close reading and analysis of one primary source from American history, 1491 to 2001, in the Gilder Lehrman Collection of more than 86,000 historical documents.

Image: Letter from Edward Carrington to Henry Knox, March 13, 1788. (The Gilder Lehrman Institute, GLC02437.03821 )

Recruitment poster targeting black enlistment.

Research Essay

Students are invited to submit a research essay incorporating primary and secondary sources on a topic in American history from 1491 to 2001.

Image: Edward George Renesch, Colored Man Is No Slacker , Chicago, 1918. (The Gilder Lehrman Institute, GLC06134 )

Eligibility

High school students attending schools in the Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School Program are eligible and encouraged to participate. They are invited to submit an original essay, written independently or for a current academic year class, that has been revised, expanded, and adapted to conform with the McCullough Prize specifications.

All participants will receive a certificate of participation suitable for framing. Prize winners in each of our two categories—research essays and interpretive essays—will receive cash awards as follows:

  • 1st Prize: $5,000 (plus a $500 prize awarded to the school)
  • 2nd Prize: $1,500 (plus a $500 prize awarded to the school)
  • Five 3rd Prizes: $500 each

Font and Page Style

Papers should be submitted in 12-point, Times New Roman font with one-inch margins at the top, bottom, and sides. Essays should be free of teacher commentary or other notes.  

The accepted document types are PDF, DOC, DOCX, and ODT.

Organization

Top essays have an introduction, body, and conclusion and a clearly stated, well-developed thesis statement with supportive historical evidence.

A panel of Gilder Lehrman master teachers will choose the pool of finalists, from which a jury of eminent historians will choose the winners. Essays will be evaluated for their historical rigor, the clarity and correctness of their style, their use of evidence, and their qualities of empathy and imagination. 

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Discover 2,000+ individuals who lived through the American Revolution, like the poet Phillis Wheatley .

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Bring history to life with visual sources, like this US War Department recruitment poster  (ca. 1944–1945).

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In addition to documents, the Collection includes objects, like this campaign button for Lyndon Johnson .

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Our Collection highlights the contributions of many Americans, like those of a female pilot in the 1910s.

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Explore the fight against slavery through abolitionist writings, like this note by Frederick Douglass .

Start Your Research Here 

Essays can be on any topic related to American history from 1491 to 2001. Essays in the interpretive category must feature a primary source (letter, broadside, art, political cartoon, speech, etc.) from the Gilder Lehrman Collection .

In 1991, Richard Gilder and Lewis Lehrman embarked on a mission to create one of the most important repositories of historical American documents in the country. Today, the Gilder Lehrman Collection contains  86,000+ items documenting the political, social, and economic history of the United States.

Explore the Collection

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Learn how the Institute impacts history education through our work guiding teachers, energizing students, and supporting research.

University of Texas at Austin

University Interscholastic League

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Academic Contests

  • Social Studies
  • Contest Materials
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  • Literary Criticism
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Academics Contact Info

Academics Director: Dr. David Stevens

Department Phone: 512-471-5883

State Champions

View State Champions

Elements of the Contest

The Social Studies Contest consists of 45 objective questions and an essay. Students are expected to master primary reading selections, as well as specific documents, and to be familiar with general-knowledge social studies concepts and terms. Each year, the contest focuses on a different topic area and a reading list that is provided by UIL.

Social Studies Overview Video

Additional information.

2024-2025 TOPIC: The Rise of Factionalism, Partisanship, and the “Vices of Democracy” in the early United States (1795-1850)

Primary Reading Selection: A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign by Edward J. Larson

The Reading List and Supplemental Resource list will be updated for 2024-2025 and can be found on the right-hand side of this webpage under Social Studies Topic for you to download.

For A+ Social Studies information, please click here .

State Contest Director

Andrew Bates [email protected]

Contest Rules

Section 956  of UIL Constitution and Contest Rules (C&CR).

CONTEST HANDBOOK

Social studies topic.

  • Topic and Reading List 2024-2025 7/22/24
  • Historical List of Topics

Sample Test

(Not based on current reading list).

  • About the Essay Portion
  • Download 2018 Sample Test & Key
  • Download 2019 Sample Test & Key
  • Rubric for the Social Studies Essay (updated 2024)
  • Essay Scoring Guide

Integrating Social Studies into Classroom Instruction

  • Four Lessons/ Two Sponge Activities to Prepare for Social Studies Contest
  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Give Students a Voice in This Digital Storytelling Competition!

Every product is independently selected by our team of teacher-reviewers and editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The Best Student Writing Contests for 2024-2025

Help your students take their writing to the next level.

We Are Teachers logo and text that says Guide to Student Writing Contests on dark background

When students write for teachers, it can feel like an assignment. When they write for a real purpose, they are empowered! Student writing contests are a challenging and inspiring way to try writing for an authentic audience— a real panel of judges —and the possibility of prize money or other incentives. We’ve gathered a list of the best student writing contests, and there’s something for everyone. Prepare highly motivated kids in need of an authentic writing mentor, and watch the words flow.

2024-2025 Student Writing Contests

1.  the scholastic art & writing awards.

With a wide range of categories—from critical essays to science fiction and fantasy—The Scholastic Awards are a mainstay of student contests. Each category has its own rules and word counts, so be sure to check out the options  before you decide which one is best for your students.

How To Enter

Students in grades 7-12, ages 13 and up, may begin submitting work in September by uploading to an online account at Scholastic and connecting to their local region. There are entry fees, but those can be waived for students in need.

2.  YoungArts National Arts Competition

YoungArts offers an annual national competition in the categories of creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, and spoken word. Student winners may receive awards of up to $10,000 as well as the chance to participate in artistic development with leaders in their fields.

Check out the site for guidelines on writing modes, such as short stories and spoken word poetry, and sign up for updates so you’re ready when the applications open.

Promo image of a high school girl for The Edit, a digital storytelling challenge.

FEATURED PICK

3. The Edit

The Edit is a digital storytelling challenge from NBCU Academy and Adobe. Your middle or high school students will build critical communication and collaboration skills as they plan, script, and produce their own 90-second video news reports on wellness topics. Winning classrooms will be rewarded with prizes like GoPros, Fandango gift cards, and more!​

It’s free to enter. All submissions must be received by March 3, 2025.

4. Write The World Competitions

Not only is Write the World one of my favorite places to find writing resources, but it also hosts free, monthly contests with cash prizes. There are also opportunities for feedback, and lots of ideas to help students get started.

With a student account, young writers draft and submit their work on the website. ADVERTISEMENT

5. National Youth Foundation Programs

Each year, awards are given for Student Book Scholars, Amazing Women, and the “I Matter” Poetry & Art competition. This is a great chance for kids to express themselves with joy and strength.

The rules, prizes, and deadlines vary, so check out the website for more info.

6.  American Foreign Service National High School Essay Contest

If you’re looking to help students take a deep dive into international relations, history, and writing, look no further than this essay contest. Winners receive a voyage with the Semester at Sea program and a trip to Washington, DC.

Students fill out a registration form online, and a teacher or sponsor is required. The deadline to enter is March 1, 2025.

7.  Poetry.com’s Annual Dear Poet Contest

Each year, during National Poetry Month in April, students can write letters to famous poets in response to their work. In this interactive contest, all submissions receive a general letter and certificate, and winners receive a personalized response from the poet they wrote to. It’s a great way to #TeachLivingPoets, and kids get to ask questions about the creative process.

Return to the site in April to find the forms for submitting letters. A guardian or teacher must also provide a letter so the submissions can be published.

8.  John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

This annual contest invites students to write about a political official’s act of political courage that occurred after Kennedy’s birth in 1917. The winner receives $10,000, and 16 runners-up also receive a variety of cash prizes.

Students may submit a 700- to 1,000-word essay through January 12. The essay must feature more than five sources and a full bibliography.

9. Write Cause Competition s

These free quarterly contests accept a variety of written submissions, each based on a different quarterly theme. Write Cause also provides research links so students can learn about the topics before writing. Open to kids between 13-18.

Check out the Compete link for contest information each quarter, and use the online submission form.

10. The Princeton Ten-Minute Play Contest

Looking for student writing contests for budding playwrights? This exclusive competition, which is open only to high school juniors, is judged by the theater faculty of Princeton University. Students submit short plays in an effort to win recognition and cash prizes of up to $500. ( Note: Only open to 11th graders. )

Students submit one 10-page play script online or by mail. The deadline will be announced later this year.

11. Princeton University Poetry Contest for High School Students

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in 11th grade. Prizes range from $100 to $500.

Students in 11th grade can submit their poetry. Contest details will be published this fall.

12. The New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest

This contest is also a wonderful writing challenge, and the New York Times includes lots of resources and models for students to be able to do their best work. They’ve even made a classroom poster !

Submissions need to be made electronically by November 1.

13.  The New York Times Contest Calendar

For students who want to extend beyond 100-word memoirs, The NY Times also provides competitive opportunities in areas including photography, opinion pieces, and podcasting .

Find an area that students are interested in and check out the rules and deadlines.

14.  The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers is open to high school sophomores and juniors, and the winner receives a full scholarship to a  Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop .

Submissions for the prize are accepted electronically from November 1 through November 30.

15. Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

High school students can win up to $1,000 and publication by entering an essay on a topic specified by the Jane Austen Society related to a Jane Austen novel.

Details for the 2024 contest will be announced in November. Essay length is from six to eight pages, not including works cited.

16. Rattle Young Poets Anthology

Open to students from 15 to 18 years old who are interested in publication and exposure over monetary awards.

Teachers may choose five students for whom to submit up to four poems each on their behalf. The deadline is November 15.

17. The Black River Chapbook Competition

This is a chance for new and emerging writers to gain publication in their own professionally published chapbook, as well as $500 and free copies of the book.

There is an $18 entry fee, and submissions are made online.

18. YouthPlays New Voices

For students under 18, the YouthPlays one-act competition is designed for young writers to create new works for the stage. Winners receive cash awards and publication.

Scroll all the way down their web page for information on the contest, which accepts non-musical plays between 10 and 40 minutes long, submitted electronically. Entries open each year in January.

19. The Ocean Awareness Contest

The 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest, Tell Your Climate Story , encourages students to write their own unique climate story. They are asking for creative expressions of students’ personal experiences, insights, or perceptions about climate change. Students are eligible for a wide range of monetary prizes up to $1,000.

Students from 11 to 18 years old may submit work in the categories of art, creative writing, poetry and spoken word, film, interactive media and multimedia, or music and dance, accompanied by a reflection. The deadline is June 13.

20. EngineerGirl Annual Essay Contest

Each year, EngineerGirl sponsors an essay contest with topics centered on the impact of engineering on the world, and students can win up to $500 in prize money. This contest is a nice bridge between ELA and STEM and great for teachers interested in incorporating an interdisciplinary project into their curriculum. The new contest asks for pieces describing the life cycle of an everyday object. Check out these tips for integrating the content into your classroom .

Students submit their work electronically by February 1. Check out the full list of rules and requirements here .

21. NCTE Student Writing Awards

The National Council of Teachers of English offers several student writing awards, including Achievement Awards in Writing (for 10th- and 11th-grade students), Promising Young Writers (for 8th-grade students), and an award to recognize Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines.

Deadlines range from October 28 to February 15. Check out NCTE.org for more details.

22. Narrative High School Writing Contest

The prompt for Narrative’s 10th Annual Writing Contest is “What I Cannot Say, I’ll Say Here.” Stories are limited to 600 words, and kids can also enter poems of no more than 50 lines. The website also provides different ideas and insights to help students approach the prompt.

Students in grades 9-12 submit their work through their teacher, who may submit up to 10 pieces.

23. US vs HATE Contests

Engage social media-savvy students with this creative contest looking for messages of kindness, inclusivity, and bridge-building.

Check the website for an informational poster as well as guidelines and ideas about how students can submit their work.

24. National PTA Reflections Awards

The National PTA offers a variety of awards, including one for literature, in their annual Reflections Contest. Students of all ages can submit entries on the specified topic to their local PTA Reflections program. From there, winners move to the local area, state, and national levels. National-level awards include an $800 prize and a trip to the National PTA Convention.

This program requires submitting to PTAs who participate in the program. Check your school’s PTA for their deadlines.

25. World Historian Student Essay Competition

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international contest open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, as well as those in home-study programs. The $500 prize is based on an essay that addresses one of this year’s two prompts.

Students can submit entries via email or regular mail before May 1.

26. Future Scholar Foundation Short Story Contest

Monthly contests, each with different themes, offer Amazon gift cards and publication as awards. It’s open to both Elementary and Middle School students.

Check the site each first of the month for the new theme. Submissions are due on the 28th.

Whether you let your students blog, start a podcast or video channel, or enter student writing contests, giving them an authentic audience for their work is always a powerful classroom choice.

If you like this list of student writing contests and want more articles like it, subscribe to our newsletters to find out when they’re posted!

Plus, check out our favorite anchor charts for teaching writing..

Are you looking for student writing contests to share in your classroom? This list will give students plenty of opportunities.

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Competitions in STEM, ELA and the arts, and more! Continue Reading

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VIDEO

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