Submissions will be accepted for Americans United’s annual Student Contest now through Nov. 4, 2024. The contest is open to high school and college students and accepts essay and video submissions.
This year, students are invited to respond to this three-part prompt:
- How are religious extremists and their lawmaker allies attempting to erode church-state separation in public schools?
- How have communities and advocates addressed this in the past?
- Moving forward, what could be done to educate others about these threats and mobilize communities to protect church-state separation in public schools?
Winning essays and videos, with separate prize categories for high school and college students, will win between $500-$1,500. Winners also have the chance to be published in AU’s Church & State magazine and on AU’s website and to receive a scholarship to attend the Summit for Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C., in April 2025.
Students who wish to enter the contest should keep in mind the following:
- The contest is open to high school students and undergraduate students attending any two- or four-year college or university, including trade and technical schools. Students must live in the United States including the fifty states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories.
- Creativity is not only encouraged, but required! Winning submissions must have a unique and compelling voice or perspective.
- Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. PT on Monday, Nov. 4.
For more information about the contest prompt, criteria, prizes and more, visit www.au.org/studentcontest.