Locke & Key Humanities & Social Sciences Writing Competition

Un-Lockeing your Curiosity

Contest Launch: July 26th

Deadline: September 1st

Prompt: Write an essay that explores a topic that excites you drawing from categories like philosophy, economics, art, history, politics, international relations, or related topics.

Eligibility: All High School Students / Individual entries only / Encourage Original work; feel free to publish after the contest ends; you can submit as many as you want;

AI policy: Using it for initial research / sourcing; Please don’t use it to write the essay - we can tell

Guidelines:

Word count: Min 750 words / Max 2000
Formatting: Times New Roman 12
PDF on submission
Citation style: MLA
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Judging Criteria:

Strength of Argument (30%)
Evidence (15%) : Support your claim with sufficient and reputable sources / evidence
Organization (20%)
Style (15%)
Originality (20%)

PRIZE! Locke & Key Young Scholars Essay Prize

1st Place: $100 / Certificate / Publication / Instagram feature

2nd Place: $50 / Certificate / Publication / Instagram feature

3rd Place: $25 / Certificate / Publication / Instagram feature

Honorable Mentions: Certificate / Publication

Participants: Participants that don’t receive a prize are welcome to ask for feedback and will be considered for publication

Purpose

Encourage high school students to explore social sciences and humanities through writing.
Increase engagement with Locke & Key.
Build partnerships with local educational organizations.
Publish outstanding student work.