The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is seeking submissions for its essay contest. The contest is open to students currently in grades 6 through 12 from Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Students are invited to consider and share their thoughts on the question: "Has the decision in Brown v. Board of Education, viewed through the lens of 2024, achieved its purpose of ensuring equal opportunity in public education?"
Scholarship Details
- Focuses on the impact of Brown v. Board of Education
- Encourages critical thinking on diversity and equal opportunity in education
Eligibility Criteria
- Students in grades 6 through 12
- Must be from Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, or West Virginia
- Excludes prior award winners and family members of federal judges or judiciary employees
Application Process
- Prepare an essay considering one or more provided questions about Brown v. Board of Education
- Submit the essay and entry form by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 31st
- Ensure your essay addresses the judging criteria including understanding of constitutional principles, analysis and interpretation, clarity and organization, evidence and support, and grammar and composition
- Exceeding the word limit, missing the submission deadline, using AI-generated content, plagiarizing content, providing false entry information, and not adhering to the rules are grounds for disqualification.
Essays are limited to the length indicated for each grade group. Citations should be placed in footnotes, endnotes, works cited, or a bibliography and are excluded from the word count. Essay must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on May 31st. The full essay contest prompt, rules, and entry instructions are available on our website.