# Citizenship Essay * Deadline: October 20<sup>th</sup> 2024 * Essays must be typed and be between 500 and 750 words. * Essays must be original work. * Student's name must NOT be included in the essay, only in the entry form. * Entry forms can be downloaded at [forms/2024-EssayForm.pdf](forms/2023-EssayForm.pdf) * Entry forms must be signed by student and parent/guardians. * Entry form may be scanned and attached to essay (in a PDF format) and emailed to: > Jeff Eckstein > Jeffrey.R.Eckstein@gmail.com or mailed to: > Knights of Columbus Essay Contest > ATTN: Jeff Eckstein > P.O. Box 1003 > Vicksburg, MS 39181 The theme for 2024 is Virtue Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good. It governs our acts, orders our passions, and guides our conduct by reason and faith. It also encourages Christians to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. The call to live a virtuous life applies to individuals in every state of life and occupation, including our elected leaders. In an essay of 500-750 words, **what are the two most important virtues for an elected leader to possess, and why? How can you determine if the leader has these virtues?** All entries must be received by October 20, 2024 ## Prizes $25 cash prize to each winner in grades 8 &mdash; 11. The winning 12<sup>th</sup> grade essay will be awarded a $1600 scholarship, disbursed in amounts of $400 every year over four years. <br /> Winning essays will forwarded next fall to the State jurisdiction for Competition at the state level, with the winner there going on to a national competition. 12<sup>th</sup> grade essays will not be eligible for state and national competitions. ## Judging All essays will be blind judged based on the following scoring system: * 35 Points : Content &mdash; How clearly is the theme presented? * 30 Points : Grammar &mdash; How well is the essay written with respect to sentence structure, paragraph construction and spelling? * 35 Points : Style &mdash; Does the essay show creativity, imagination, and development of the topic in a logical and compelling style? ## Past Winners Winning entries from contests the council has run in past years can be found [here](CitizenshipEssayHistory.html).