Laws of Life Essay Contest

The next submission deadline is Thursday, February 20, 2025.

  All essay writers will be recognized by Character.org with a personalized, printable certificate sent to the school site coordinator.

The Most Compelling entries will be recognized in the following categories:

Worldwide

• 2 essays from students in Grades 4 – 6
• 2 essays from students in Grades 7 – 8
• 2 essays from students in Grades 9 -12

Students whose essays are selected as Most Compelling Worldwide will each receive a $100.00 cash prize. In addition, their essays will be published on the Character.org website and featured on our social media channels.

Students from Schools Within the United States

• 5 essays from students in Grades 4 – 6
• 5 essays from students in Grades 7 – 8
• 5 essays from students in Grades 9 -12

Students from Schools Outside the United States

• 5 essays from students in Grades 4 – 6
• 5 essays from students in Grades 7 – 8
• 5 essays from students in Grades 9 -12

Students whose essays are selected as Most Compelling from Schools Within the United States and Schools Outside of the United States will have their essays published on the Character.org website and featured on our social media channels.

Participating Schools

• 1 essay from each participating school with 5 or more entries.

The student whose essay was selected as Most Compelling from each Participating School will have their essay published on the Character.org website.

The Laws of Life Writing Program is made possible through a grant from The School for Ethical Education

Personal Narrative Essay – A story from your student’s life involving real people and real experiences that actually happened.

Here’s what we hope you will share with your students: (Sample Scoring Rubric)

#1 – Content (70%)
When thinking about what core value to write about, we encourage you to write “from your heart.” The most inspiring essays either pluck the readers’ heartstrings making them feel or fire the readers’ neurons making them think. 

• Your essay should be so authentic that the judge right away will feel that no one else but you could have written it. 
• Finally, your essay should inspire the reader to think: Shouldn’t I practice this core value wherever I go and whatever I do in life?

#2 – Structure (20%)
Your essay should be easy to read. The reader can tell exactly what you were trying to communicate. The ideas and paragraphs flow smoothly. 

#3 – Grammar and Spelling (10%)
Please edit your essay for grammar and spelling.

These are just some of the benefits students, teachers, and their school communities have shared with us about writing a Laws of Life essay:

• Provides an authentic opportunity for students to share their voice on a worldwide platform.
• Motivates students to reflect and “write from the heart” to produce excellent narratives
• Highlights core values as aspirational goals to share with peers,​ teachers, parents, and others
• Encourages students of all writing abilities to participate
• Integrates the writing process with effective character education
• Provides an annual opportunity to reflect on and affirm/anchor one’s personal core values
• Provides schools a positive opportunity to recognize students’ values and promote community
• Provides rehearsal for the writing process on standardized assessments (outlining, drafting, editing, publishing).

The prompt for the Laws of Life Essay Contest is:  “Reflect and write about a core value that is important to you, and why.”  Students should respond with a personal narrative essay–a story from one’s life involving real people and real experiences that actually happened.

Students should think about a specific moment in their life when they realized a certain core value was important to them.  What did they experience that made them realize the core value was important?  The following questions can help students in a pre-writing phase to identify their topic for a Laws of Life essay. At the heart of this writing program is the student’s reflection on why the core value they have chosen is foundational to them and to their personal experience – writing from the heart.

Here are some great probing questions for idea generation:

• ​Describe a personal experience that has helped you develop a particular core value.
• Describe a time in your life when someone has helped you. How has this made you aware of a particular core value?
• Share a situation where you realized you needed to practice a particular core value in order to have a better outcome. 
• When you become a parent, what story will you share from your childhood to teach your child an important core value?
• Imagine that you have lived a long and meaningful life. As you look back on your life, what experience are you most proud of? What core value did you demonstrate?
• Think of a family member or a friend whom you admire. What core value does that person demonstrate? How have they impacted your life?
• Think about the core values of your school.  Share a time when you put one of them into action.  What did you learn about yourself?
• Think about the core values of your school.  Share a time when you did not live up to one of the core values. What lesson did you learn? 
• Your essay should be so authentic that the judge right away will feel that no one else but you could have written it. 
• Finally, your essay should inspire the reader to think: Shouldn’t I practice this core value wherever I go and whatever I do in life?

Whatever the writing catalyst may be, the greatest benefit of the Laws of Life process is realized when students have the opportunity to engage in the full writing process (rehearsing, outlining, drafting, peer/family reviewing, editing, publishing). 

Many schools have chosen to implement the Laws of Life Essay contest as a school-wide reflection and writing activity to enhance their Character Education and SEL program.  Schools are welcome to host their own school-level contests. Character.org will support school-level contests with a scoring rubric and editable certificates.  Schools hosting school-level contests are encouraged to submit their local winners to our worldwide competition.  Please email Wendy@character.org for more information.