Who May Enter
The essay contest is open to all students currently in grades 9 through 12 from Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Note: Prior award winners as well as children, grandchildren, stepchildren, and members of the household of a federal judge or federal judiciary employee are excluded from the competition.
Essay Prompt
Is the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause sufficient to secure the rights of all citizens, or is the ERA necessary to promote gender equality?
Length & Format
Essays are limited to 1,000 words (strictly enforced). Citations should be placed in footnotes, endnotes, or bibliographies and excluded from the word count. Submit your essay as a Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF document. Do not include your name on your essay.
Submission Deadline
Your essay and entry form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 27, 2022. The contest entry form has instructions for submitting your essay. Your essay should be completed and submitted with your entry form.