Deadline: March 2, 2026
Eligibility: Open to all current 9 - 11th grade students.
Submission Process: To register and submit an essay, please write an essay using the prompt and complete the below form. For questions, please email summerscholars@ncf.edu.
Prompt: On July 4th, 2026, America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The American semi-quincentennial should inspire patriotism, educate Americans about first principles in the declaration of Independence and U.S. constitution, spark civic dialogue, agreement, and volunteerism, and make a lasting impact for generations to come.
At New College of Florida, we take the commitment to civics education seriously. That’s why we’re reaching out to Florida students with an invitation to enter our civics writing contest.
The rules are simple. Pick your favorite line in the Declaration of Independence, or provision in the U.S. Constitution or more specifically, in the Bill of Rights. Tell us why your choice was important when these documents were ratified and why it remains important today. Does it have relevance in securing our liberty in the future?
Selection Process: Students will have their essays evaluated by a team of professors and staff at New College. Selected students will be invited to participate in an on-campus residential summer camp at New College of Florida from Sunday, June 21st through Friday, June 26th, 2026. Your participation in the summer camp will determine the final winners of the Summer Scholars Program.
ALL Program campers will compete for scholarship prizes. Judges will select first, second, and third-prize winners as well as finalists, from across all summer camps. These winners will receive a cash prize listed below:
First Prize: $500
Second Prize: $250
Third Prize: $100
Five Finalists: $50 each
In addition, winners and finalists are eligible for full- or partial-tuition undergraduate college scholarships to attend New College. Qualified winners are those who apply, are admitted, and enroll at New College with grades and test scores meeting our scholarship criteria. We offer fully- and partially-funded scholarships.
Submission Guidelines/Process:
- Students do not need to have a sponsoring teacher to submit their work.
- Students do not need to have taken, or be enrolled in, any particular courses to enter the contest.
- Contest entries must be in English.
- Submissions must be in .doc, .docx, .pdf, or .rtf format and contain a cover page with the student's name, date of birth, high school, and submission genre. Google Docs are not accepted.