John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Scholarship Overview: Essay contest open to U.S. high school students in grades nine through 12 attending public, private, parochial or home schools
Application Available: September 1, 2024
Deadline Date: January 17, 2025

Scholarship Details:

Eligibility Requirements:

The contest is open to U.S. high school students in grades nine through 12 attending public, private, parochial or home schools; U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. Past winners and finalists are not eligible to participate. Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate.

In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. These leaders demonstrated political courage by taking a stand for the public good in spite of pressure by interest groups, their political party, or even their constituents. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.

All submissions must adhere to contest requirements.  Important Note: Before contacting the Profile in Courage Essay Contest Coordinator, please be sure to read over the FAQ section of this web site.

Essay Subjects

Nominating Teachers

  • All students must list the name of their nominating teacher on the registration form. The role of a nominating teacher is to provide students with support and advice during the writing of their essay. Nominating teachers are also asked to read students’ essays to make suggestions for improvement before they are submitted to the essay contest. As part of this review process, the nominating teacher reviews the essay for syntax, grammatical, typographical and spelling errors and ensures the essay meets the contest requirements listed above. The first place winner and his/her nominating teacher, as representatives of their school, will be invited to receive awards at the annual Profile in Courage Award ceremony held each May at the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston.
  • Nominating teachers can be former or current teachers, but must still be teaching at the same high school as the essay participant. Usually students ask their English or History/Social Studies teachers. In very few cases, we will make an exception if a student is unable to ask a teacher from their high school to be their nominating teacher. The parent or legal guardian responsible for the instruction of home schooled students can also serve as a nominating teacher.

Application Requirements: Essay

Essay Details:

Essays can be no more than 1,000 words but must be a minimum of 700 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count.
Essays must be the original work of the student.
Essays must have a minimum of five varied sources such as government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews.

Contest Topic
Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level.

Award Amount: Multiple Award Amounts

Award Details:

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
The winner receives a $10,000 cash award. If the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation holds the 2024 Profile in Courage Award event in person, the winner and her/his/their family will be invited to travel to Boston to accept her/his/their award in May 2024. Travel and lodging expenses will be paid for the trip to Boston for the winning student and her/his/their parents.
Second-place winner receives $3,000.
Five finalists receive $1,000 each.
Ten semifinalists receive $100 each.
Eight students receive honorable mentions.
The nominating teacher of the first-place winner is also invited to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library to receive the John F. Kennedy Public Service Grant in the amount of $500 for school projects encouraging student leadership and civic engagement. Travel and lodging expenses will be paid for the trip to Boston.
All participants receive a Certificate of Participation.
Winners and finalists will be notified by April 30. All participants will receive a letter announcing the winners and finalists by the end of May.

Website/URL: https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/getting-started

Scholarship Manager Information:

Contact Email: profiles@nara.gov
Additional Contact & Submission Information:

All entries must must include a completed registration form and be submitted by 11:59pm (EST) on January 17, 2025 to be eligible for judging.  The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible, or incomplete submissions.

Additional Scholarship Information:

By entering, you agree that your essay will become the property of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and will not be returned. The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation reserves the right to print and display the essays and photographs of the contest winners.

Filters:

Eligibility: U.S Citizen/Permanent Resident
Areas of Study: Open to All
Applicant’s Current Education Level: High School Student (9-11), High School Senior
Location Specific: National