Expert Overview

Essay contest for U.S. high school students on an act of political courage by an elected official, run by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Foundation. Students write 700 to 1,000 words with at least five sources and a nominating teacher; first place wins $10,000. More than 2,200 essays were entered in a recent round.

Format

Individual

Judging Format

Jurors, Criteria based scoring (originality, historical accuracy, quality of writing, and depth of analysis)

Monetary

Grade Eligibility

Rising Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors

Geographic Eligibility

US, International

Discipline

Essay ContestHistoryPolitical ScienceCreative Writing

Entries

2,199

Percent Awarded

<1%

Important Dates

Submissions Open

September 1, 2026

Submission Deadline

January 12, 2027

Passed

Open

Approaching: < 1 mo.

Priority: < 2 weeks

Urgent: < 1 week

Registration Cost

No entry fee

About

Students profile a U.S. elected official who served in 1917 or later, describing the obstacles, risks, and consequences of the official’s stand. Essays about the Kennedys or the senators in Profiles in Courage are excluded, essays with fewer than five sources are disqualified, and so are essays in which AI use is detected. A current teacher at the student’s school must be named as nominating teacher, except in rare cases. Entries are submitted online between September 1 and January 11. A committee of Library Foundation and National Archives leaders judges content, including originality, and presentation.

The 2026 round drew 2,261 essays, and 20 received more than a certificate: a first prize of $10,000, a second of $3,000, three $1,000 finalists, and 15 honorable mentions. The organizer states that common subjects lower an essay’s score, so topic choice matters as much as writing. Every other entrant receives a certificate, which carries little weight on its own.

A placement shows a student can research and argue an original case from several sources.