Civics Essay Contest
The Civics Essay Contest is a writing contest for Tennessee students with the intent to encourage students to be actively engaged citizens now and in the future.
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Tennessee students in public, private and home schools in grades Kindergarten to 12th Grade are encouraged to participate in our Civics Essay Contest.
The contest, along with the Student Mock Election, is part of the Secretary of State’s civic engagement program.
The Civics Essay Contest started in 2016 with students writing about voting. Subsequent essay themes have included citizenship, leadership, and civic duty. Winners receive a TNStars 529 College Savings Program scholarship.
About This Year’s Contest
The Secretary of State’s office is conducting their annual student Essay Contest! Our goal is to encourage students to be actively engaged citizens by recognizing their important roles as citizens of the great state of Tennessee. The theme of this year’s essay contest is “Why Trusted Sources Matter.” Winners will receive a TNStars 529 Program College Savings scholarship of $100, $250, or $500 in addition to a trip to the State Capitol. See below for more details.
Essay Prompts & Requirements
This year’s essay contest prompts will be based around the theme of “Why Trusted Sources Matter.” Schools can choose up to two (2) essays from each grade band to submit for the contest. Essays should be typed, double-spaced on 8 ½ x 11” paper. Parents may help type essays for younger grades. See below for the prompts for each grade band. Essays should answer our grade band's prompt. Essays exceeding the word limit will be automatically disqualified.
| Grade Band | Word Limit | Essay Prompt |
|---|---|---|
| 9-12 | 500-1,000 words |
Social media has become a major news source for many Americans when they are developing their political ideas. For this essay, describe how one can find reliable sources on social media and why this is important in our system of democracy? How could one build up a reputation as a reputable source of information online? How do we create a more informed society? |
| 6-8 | 300-700 words | Social media can be a helpful tool, but it’s important to know how to find and share information that others can trust. Think about how you use social media to learn about what’s going on around you. Write about how you can find information you know is accurate: Which types of accounts, organizations, or sources do you trust most, and how can you tell if they are trustworthy? |
| 3-5 | 250-500 words | Imagine a candidate is running for class president at your school or that someone in your community is running for office. Where could you find trusted sources of information about them? Consider sources like news articles, interviews, websites, or well-known organizations. Write about 3 different places you would look for accurate information about the candidate or issue and why you trust each source. |
| K-2 |
Drawings may not exceed 11"x17" in size. Words can be incorporated into a drawing or attached separately. |
Draw a picture of yourself as a detective and write a few sentences about how you can tell the difference between a fact and an opinion. 50-100 words. |
How to Submit Your Essay
Essays must be submitted by Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 Click HERE to submit.
Contest Rules
- Schools can submit up to two (2) essays in each grade level.
- Only one entry per student is allowed.
- Essays must be received by the Secretary of State’s office by Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. No late entries will be accepted.
- Students must be enrolled in a Tennessee public, charter, private school or home school association.
- The essay must be the original work of the student.
- Family members of Tennessee Secretary of State employees are not allowed to participate.
- Failure to comply with the contest rules will result in disqualification.
Judging & Prizes
First, second, and third place will be awarded in each category. Placement will be decided by a panel of judges. Judges may also choose to award Honorable Mentions. Names and school affiliation will not be revealed to the judges during the process. Essays will be judged based on content, originality, and creativity.
The winners in each grade level will win a trip to the State Capitol in the spring of 2025. In addition, students will receive a scholarship through the TNStars 529 College Savings Program.
Grade category winners will receive the following scholarships:
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $100
Contact
If you have any other questions, please contact us at sos.civics@tn.gov or (615) 741-2819.