Essay Contest

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Students in grades 7 through 12 may apply. Applicants must live in Pennsylvania in Bradford, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, or Union County. Students related to anyone affiliated with the essay contest cannot win an award.

• First-place $500 checks will be awarded to one high school student and one middle school student.
• Second-place $250 checks will be awarded to one high school student and one middle school student.
• Third-place $150 checks will be awarded to one high school student and one middle school student.
• Multiple honorable-mention $100 checks will be awarded.

The essay prompt for the 2024-2025 school year will be announced shortly. The essays will be due by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Winning essays will be announced by early May, 2025.

Below is an image of the Pyramid of Hate. Using concrete historical examples from the Nazi era, how can you apply the Pyramid of Hate to explain how the Holocaust happened? How, if at all, does the Pyramid of Hate apply to your life today? Review the evaluation criteria to ensure that your essay addresses all essay requirements.

We will use the following criteria to evaluate essays:

• Establishes and supports a clear argument with evidence
• Summarizes historical facts accurately
• Demonstrates an understanding of the historical context of the Holocaust
• Demonstrates analysis and interpretation
• Demonstrates that studying this topic helps explain the Holocaust and its relevance today
• Answers directly all aspects of the question asked
• Demonstrates balanced research that utilizes a range of scholarly sources. Sources will be evaluated in the following order: (1) Printed books (2) .edu and .org websites (3) .com websites
• Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Communicates established argument clearly and coherently
• Provide an insightful essay title that reflects your argument
• Follows all essay rules and requirements

1. Essays must be between 400 and 850 words of content, not including the title page and bibliography. You may optionally exclude the citations from the word count.
2. References should follow the MLA style guidelines or a citation style with which you are familiar.
3. Provide citations for all non-original material.
4. Entries must be typed and double-spaced.
5. Include page numbers on each page.
6. Do not display your name, class, teacher, or any identifying information anywhere in your essay.
7. Only display the essay title and word count on the essay title page.
8. Submit your essay by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, March 16, 2024.