PEN America Free Expression Essay Competition
PEN America is inviting submissions for a national student essay competition about the role of free expression in today’s world. If you’re in high school or college, PEN America wants to know what you think about the threats to this crucial right! Essays will be judged for their originality, clarity of thought, and relevance to free expression by experts at PEN America and prominent guest judges. Winning essays will be published on PEN America’s website, and promoted on our social media channels. We are very pleased to offer a total of $7,500 in prizes to the competition winners.
We are pleased to announce that this year’s judges are writers Frederick Joseph, Kyle Lukoff, Jia Tolentino, and Tara Westover.
Frederick Joseph is the author of two instant New York Times bestsellers, The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person and Patriarchy Blues: Reflections on Manhood. He is also the author of the picture book Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith. An award-winning activist, philanthropist, and marketing professional, Frederick Joseph was named to the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, is a recipient of the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, and was selected for the 2018 Root 100, an annual list of the most influential African Americans.
Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See, received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became A Brother also won the Stonewall, and his book Call Me Max has been banned in schools across the country. He has forthcoming books about apologies, vegetables, death, and lots of other topics. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian.
Jia Tolentino is a staff writer at the New Yorker and the author of the essay collection Trick Mirror.
Tara Westover is a memoirist, essayist, and historian. Her first book, Educated (2018), debuted at #1 on the New York Times best seller list and was a finalist for a number of awards, including the LA Times Book Prize, PEN America’s Jean Stein Book Award, and two awards from the National Book Critics Circle Award. The New York Times ranked Educated as one of the 10 Best Books of 2018, and the American Booksellers Association named it the Nonfiction Book of the Year. Because of her book, Tara was chosen by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2019. She joined PEN America’s board in 2021.
GUIDELINES
For our second year of the Free Expression Essay Competition, PEN America invites students to write essays on any issue related to free expression in the U.S. or abroad, at a length of 1,000 words for both the high school and college competition levels.
High school-level submissions are open to students ages 15-17; and college-level submissions are open to students ages 18-23. Applicants must be residing in the United States and provide a U.S. mailing address. Please enter the competition level based on your age at the time of submission. Current enrollment in school is not required to enter. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] with ‘Essay Competition’ in the subject line.
We ask that you please submit your essay as a PDF or Word document through our online application portal on Submittable. On Submittable, you will be prompted to create a free account in order to access the entry submission form and upload your materials. All submissions must be received on or before March 8th at 11:59pm ET.
The submission window will close on March 8, 2023. Winners will be announced in May 2023.
Prompt
From school board meetings to statehouses, and foreign newsrooms to digital spaces — there are threats to free expression in societies around the world. PEN America wants to know: what do you think about free expression? Why is it important? How can it change the world?
Submit an original essay answering the questions above for a chance to be recognized by experts in the field, rewarded with a prize and share your views to educate others. You might consider the following areas of focus:
- What does “free expression” mean to you?
- Why does free expression matter in a democracy?
- Why is it important to have free speech for all, regardless of lines of difference?
- How does hate impede free expression? And how can free expression fight hate?
- What do you think about free expression online? Is it the same or different from other public arenas for discourse?
- Are bans on certain books in schools or libraries a free expression issue? Are there different considerations for school libraries and public libraries? Should there be limits on content for students? What harm might book bans in schools or libraries do?
- Is there a way to reconcile limits on information with free expression protections? Are there reasonable limits society should impose to curb efforts to confuse and misinform the public?
- How safe is freedom of the press in the U.S. today? What are some current threats to this right?
- What Supreme Court ruling related to free expression in the U.S. is most vital to safeguarding the future of our democracy?
- Why is free expression protected as an international human right? What efforts are needed to defend it?
Statement on plagiarism: The PEN America Free Expression Essay Competition maintains a zero tolerance policy for submissions that have been plagiarized, including submissions that fail to incorporate proper citations. Those who submit an essay that is not entirely their own will be disqualified from the Free Expression Essay Competition without warning. PEN America reserves the right to investigate whether a submission has been plagiarized. Should your essay require citations, you may use any citation system you prefer (e.g. APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.), as long as your citation style is consistent throughout your essay.
PRIZES
For each competition level, we will honor 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. The top three college-level essayists will receive $2,000, $1,500, and $1,000 respectively; and the top three high school-level essayists will receive $1,500, $1,000, and $500 respectively.
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FAQ
Yes – anybody between ages 15 and 23 can submit an essay, regardless of enrollment status. Whether you’re on a gap year or not pursuing school at this time, your opinion on the state of free expression matters. Your competition level will be determined by your age at the time of submission.
We accept essays that satisfy the competition’s word count and prompt, and that are original works of nonfiction. Your essay must present a coherent idea, and may be told from any perspective (first, second, or third person). The essay must be in English. We cannot accept multimedia submissions.
No, your essay must be your original work. You can ask others for feedback before submitting, but by entering the competition, you agree that your submission is your own idea and creation.
If you are under 18 years of age, be sure to obtain your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission before you send any information about yourself (such as your name, email address, etc.) to PEN America or anyone else over the Internet.
Yes, as long as you are between the ages of 15-23. Please enter the competition level based on your age at the time of entry, and put “Homeschool” as the name of your school on the Submittable form.
Your essay will be judged by PEN America staff, free expression advocates, educators, writers, and artists. The judging panel will represent a range of interests and expertise. Essays considered finalists for awards will be reviewed by a minimum of three judges. The judges’ decision will be final. Given the volume of entries anticipated, PEN America regrets that it will not be able to answer individual questions about the outcome.
Your essay will be anonymously evaluated for its originality of thought; ability to effectively communicate your ideas; and demonstration of a well constructed argument, supported by examples and knowledge of your subject. The most successful essays will reveal a genuine interest in free expression and its potential to change the world.
Winners will be announced in May 2023.
If you are selected to win a prize, PEN America will contact you via the email address provided through your Submittable account. There are no restrictions on how you use your award. Winners may be required to verify their eligibility.
Winning essays will be published on PEN America’s website.
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