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National High School Essay Contest

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Applications for the 2025 contest are now being accepted!

Deadline to submit is March 1, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. EDT.

2025 Essay Contest Topic

In 2025, we mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, a conflict that left a profound impact on the United States and the world. As we reflect on this milestone, it is crucial to revisit the role of the U.S. Foreign Service during that era, which was instrumental in shaping the course of events and continues to influence U.S. diplomacy today.

Drawing in part from The Foreign Service Journal ’s 40th anniversary coverage of the end of the Vietnam war, critically assess what you believe to be the most significant effects of the Foreign Service's work during the Vietnam War on contemporary U.S. diplomacy.

Consider the following as you craft your essay:

• Historical Context : Reflect on the role of the Foreign Service before, during, and after the Vietnam War.
• Long-Term Impacts : How did these experiences influence the development of U.S. diplomatic strategies, the approach to conflict resolution, or the handling of humanitarian crises in subsequent years?
• Contemporary Relevance : Draw possible connections between the lessons learned by the Foreign Service in Vietnam and current U.S. diplomatic practices. How have these lessons shaped the way modern diplomats engage with the world today?

Through this prompt, we want to encourage you to think critically about how the legacy of the Foreign Service in Vietnam continues to resonate in contemporary U.S. diplomacy.

PRIVACY POLICY:

AFSA collects your information for this contest and for AFSA partners. You may be signed up to receive updates or information from AFSA and our partners. You will receive confirmation from AFSA that your submission has been received and a notification if you are the winner or an honorable mention in June . You may also receive a message from our sponsor regarding their program offerings.

PLEASE NOTE:

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas. Students may be attending a public, private, or parochial school. Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted. Previous first-place winners and immediate relatives of directors or staff of AFSA, NLSC and Semester at Sea are not eligible to participate. Previous honorable mention recipients are eligible to enter. $2,500 to the writer of the winning essay, in addition to an all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital from anywhere in the U.S. for the winner and his or her parents, and an all-expense paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea.

The winner's school also receives a donation of 10 copies of AFSA's Inside a U.S. Embassy: Diplomacy at Work

The Fund for American Diplomacy is AFSA's 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports AFSA’s outreach goals. AFSA National High School Essay contest is AFSA’s main outreach initiative to high school students. We appreciate your willingness to contribute. Rest assured that your contribution will be put to good use. Donations to the FAD are fully tax deductible.

Contest Information

• Current & Past Winning Essays
• Rules and Guidelines
• Writer's Resources
• Writer's Checklist
• Description of the Foreign Service
• What Diplomats Do and Why It Matters
• Oral Histories and Country Readers
• Semester at Sea
• Educational Voyage Details
• National Student Leadership Conference

WOMEN BUILDING PEACE AWARD

U.S. Institute of Peace Announces Three Finalists for 2024 Women Building Peace Award

United States Institute of Peace

Afsa national high school essay contest past winners.

The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) is proud to partner with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest. The contest engages high school students in learning and writing about issues of peace and conflict, encouraging appreciation for diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peacebuilding and protect national security.

The author of the winning essay earns a scholarship to an educational voyage with Semester at Sea, a visit to Washington, D.C. (including to USIP) and a small cash award.

Learn about the current essay contest theme.

2016 Winner Profile: Dylan Borne

August 5, 2016- Dylan Borne, winner of the American Foreign Service Association National High School Essay Contest, of which the U.S. Institute of Peace is a lead sponsor, addressed a group of Washington officials this week, highlighting the creativity and energy that young people can bring to peacebuilding.

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American Foreign Service National High School Essay Contest

Ages: High School

Type: Submission

Scope: National

Theo Horn [email protected]

Participate

This essay contest is sponsored by the American Foreign Service Association in partnership with the U.S. Institute for Peace, Semester at Sea, and the National Student Leadership Conference. The contest challenges students to imagine themselves as a member of the Foreign Service tasked to resolve a crisis. Each year has a different topic for the essay.

Write an essay responding to a crisis topic as though they were members of the foreign service attempting to resolve the crisis.

American Foreign Service Association High School Essay Contest - Participation

Team Award. $0.

For all students who successfully completed submission requirements to this essay contest.

This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges. Click on a badge for further info.

American Foreign Service Association High School Essay Contest - Winner

Team Award. $2500.

The winner receives $2,500, a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet the Secretary of State, and full tuition for a Semester at Sea educational voyage.

American Foreign Service Association High School Essay Contest - Runner Up

Team Award. $1250.

$1,250 and full tuition for the NSLC's International Diplomacy summer program.

Website: http://www.afsa.org/essay-contest

Managing Organization: American Foreign Service Association

Contact: Theo Horn [email protected]

Eligibility: Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas. Students may be attending a public, private, or parochial school. Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted. Previous first-place winners and immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA, the U.S. Institute of Peace, Semester at Sea and National Student Leadership Conference are not eligible to participate. Previous honorable mention designees are eligible to enter.

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HSFSA Essay Contest

The HSFSA is working with the American Foreign Service Association to provide a free essay contest to help high school students prepare for AFSA's National High School Essay Contest .

Having the same policies, the same judges, and a similar topic structure, this contest provides the perfect opportunity for students to master the ways to success in the main contest.

Winners Announced!

The High School Foreign Service Association would like to thank all students who participated in the organization's first essay contest! The judges were impressed by the quality and diversity of the submissions. All participants received their judge scoring sheet, which gave specific comments and scores regarding the quality of the submission as well as offering advice for improvement. The top 15 students also took part in a feedback webinar, learning about how to approach diplomacy-themed essays, how to structure their work and research, and much more.

We would like to congratulate:

Owen Wu from Walton High School for receiving 1st place

Olivia Schwab from Oswego East High School for receiving 2nd place

We would also like to give special recognition to the HSFSA chapter at Arroyo High School for having the greatest number of participants originating from a single school.

The HSFSA would like to express gratitude to the American Foreign Service Association for its assistance with judging, sponsoring, and organizing the essay contest, and we look forward to conducting more essay contests in the future.

Contest Info

• $200 gift card
• A copy of Inside a U.S. Embassy , signed by Ambassador Eric Rubin - the President of the American Foreign Service Association
• $100 gift card
• Judge feedback webinar - speak to the judges to learn how to improve your essay for the main contest!

Prizes are the courtesy of the American Foreign Service Association.

Contest Dates

Submissions open: October 13, 2022 (10:00 AM ET)

Submissions closed: November 6, 2022 (11:59 PM ET)

Results annnounced: November 21, 2022 (10:00 AM ET)

Eligibility

Participants must be students enrolled in grades 9-12 in a U.S. high school or an equivalent.

It is not required for a student to be part of an HSFSA chapter or any other organization to participate.

Participation is completely free.

Contest Rules

Topic: Select one form of diplomacy (i.e. economic, cultural, public, etc.) and discuss how it has evolved in the past 100 years. Feel free to select a country or region to use as an example or case study.

Length: Your essay should be no shorter than 500 and no longer than 750 words (not including the title and sources)

Sources: Standards of content and style from current edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers will be expected for (1) documentation of sources in the text of your essay; (2) the format of the list of works cited; and (3) margins and indentation. A bibliography following the MLA Handbook must be included.

Fill out the submission form below. All fields on the online form are required, including uploading a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) file of your original work with a title, in English which should include a comprehensive list of sources consulted. Entries must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman or an equivalent font with a one-inch margin on all sides of the page. It is advised that you have your teacher/sponsor review your essay before submitting it.

Additional Resources

The Winter Cohort II application deadline is December 29, 2024! Click here to apply.

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AFSA's National High School Essay Contest - 8 Reasons Why You Should Participate

If you’re in high school, you’re probably already planning your college applications – especially if you’re a junior or a senior. A significant addition to applications and your profile can be extra-curricular competitions! When your college application includes your participation and potential achievements in a prestigious contest, it shows admissions officers your intellectual curiosity, analytical abilities, and commitment to tackling real-world problems.  Admissions officers look for students who are not just academically accomplished but also curious and capable of independent, critical thinking. 

Participating in essay contests gives students the opportunity to enhance their academic portfolios, refine their writing skills, and learn more about politics and society.  One such prestigious competition is the National High School Essay Contest ,  conducted by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA).

What is the AFSA National High School Essay Contest?

Every year since 1999,  this essay contest engages high school students from across the country to learn and write about issues of peace and conflict . The competition encourages students to appreciate diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peacebuilding and protect national security. 

For the contest, students must write an essay responding to a crisis topic or prompt from the perspective of foreign service members who are trying to resolve the crisis.

The contest is AFSA’s main outreach initiative to high school students. The winner and first runner-up receive cash prizes apart from other tuition awards.  

How is it structured?

The applications for AFSA’s National High School Essay Contest are currently open.  Applications will close on April 1, 2024.

Eligibility:

Students in grades 9-12 can participate, whether their parents are in the Foreign Service or not.

Students in the US and US citizens/permanent residents attending high school overseas can participate.

Students in public, private and parochial schools can participate. Entries from home-schooled students will be accepted as well.

Students who received honorable mentions in the contest previously are eligible to participate again.

Students who have won first place in this contest previously are not eligible to participate.

Students who are immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA, Semester at Sea and National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) are not eligible to participate.

The winner of the contest will receive a $2,500 prize, in addition to a paid trip to Washington, DC, from anywhere in the country (with his or her parents). The winner also receives an all-expense paid educational voyage, courtesy of Semester at Sea. The runner-up will receive $1,250 prize, and full tuition to attend a summer session of International Diplomacy program at the prestigious National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC).

The winner's school also receives a donation of 10 copies of AFSA's Inside a U.S. Embassy: Diplomacy at Work.

Submission rules, content and judging

Your essay should be at least 1,000 words but should not exceed 1,500 words  (the word count does not apply to the list of sources).

Submissions will be judged on the quality of analysis, quality of research, and form, style and mechanics. Successful entries will answer all aspects of the prompt and demonstrate an understanding of the Foreign Service. All qualifying essays will be judged blind through several rounds of judging. 

You’ll need to submit your essay as a Microsoft Word file (.doc or .docx), written in English. 

For more submission rules, such as how to list your sources or how to format your essay, please visit this page .

Your essay will be disqualified if it does not meet the requirements or is submitted after the submission date (April 1, 2024).

Additionally, student registration forms must have a teacher or sponsor name. That person may review the submitted essay and act as the key contact between participants and AFSA. You might benefit from having a coordinator review your essay.

The 2023 Prompt:

This year, AFSA celebrates the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. Over the last century, our diplomats and development professionals have been involved in groundbreaking events in history – decisions on war and peace, supporting human rights and freedom, creating joint prosperity, reacting to natural disasters and pandemics and much more. As AFSA looks back on this century-long history, we invite you to join us in also looking ahead to the future. This year students are asked to explore how diplomats can continue to evolve their craft to meet the needs of an ever-changing world that brings fresh challenges and opportunities to the global community and America’s place in it.

Over the past 100 years the Foreign Service has faced a multitude of challenges such as world war, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, humanitarian disasters, global pandemics, and economic crises. In a 1,000-1,500-word essay please identify what you believe will be the biggest challenge to face the Foreign Service in the future. The essay will describe this challenge and clearly define how American diplomats can help mitigate it.

Tips to write a winning entry: Here’s a few suggestions, from AFSA themselves, for you to look through before submitting your essay.

Does your essay clearly demonstrate that you understand the role of the Foreign Service in carrying out American diplomacy?

Have you used past or current diplomatic efforts to support what you believe is the best response to the prompt? (Winning essays almost always do!)

Have you read through some of the past winners’  essays? You must, to get a fair idea of what makes a solid piece.

Does the essay clearly answer this year’s essay contest question?

Have you given your essay a descriptive title?

Is your essay at least 1,000 words and no more than 1,500 words long excluding works cited?

Have you made sure that your name, school, or city do NOT appear anywhere in the essay?

Have you scrupulously followed accepted standards regarding attribution of quotations, arguments, and ideas of others within the body of your paper and bibliography?

Have you made sure that Wikipedia is not a source?

Does your essay have standardized citations and bibliography?

Does your essay have the required endnotes, and not footnotes?

Are your online sources listed separately from other sources in your bibliography?

Is your teacher's name and contact information included as detailed in the contest guidelines?

Go through these additional resources  that can help you with your submission for the contest.  You can also read through this excerpt  from the book, US. Embassy: Diplomacy at Work, which details exactly what the Foreign Service is. This would be useful information to have when answering this year’s prompt!

8 Reasons to Participate:

Participating in AFSA’s National High School Essay Contest can be a rewarding experience for high school students. Here are 8 compelling reasons why you should consider taking part in this essay competition:

It is prestigious: Winning, placing as the first runner-up, or even receiving an honorable mention in this contest is considered a high honor, especially because it showcases your excellent writing and research skills.

The contest is selective: Of hundreds of submissions received, only one winner and one runner-up is selected every year. Participating (and receiving an honor) in such a selective competition displays academic achievement.

You can win a hefty cash prize, among other awards:  The winner receives a $2,500 prize, along with a paid trip to Washington, DC (including his or her parents) and an all-expense paid educational voyage, courtesy of Semester at Sea. The runner-up receives a $1,250 prize, and full tuition to attend a summer session of the International Diplomacy program at the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC). The monetary rewards can support future educational endeavors. 

It’s a great skill-building opportunity: Whether you win or not, the process of researching and writing a 1000-word essay is no small feat. It will challenge your analytical skills, giving you a chance to hone your academic abilities and critical thinking skills, preparing you for your future academics. Additionally, learning to write about a fairly broad topic in such few words is great practice for the type of writing required within university-level academics. 

It looks great on college applications: Again, whether you win or not, the fact that you attempted a submission in this contest is something to be proud of in itself. Adding that to your resume or college application looks great and can impress admissions officers! Not to mention, if you place first or second, that shows a certain level of skill and talent that admissions officers are definitely looking for. 

It is accessible and open to everyone: Unlike many competitions that charge application fees, the essay contest is free to enter, making it accessible to all interested students. This eliminates financial barriers and encourages broader participation. The competition is open to students from grades 9 to 12, spanning a range of educational backgrounds, including public, private, and home-study programs. This inclusivity ensures that students from various educational settings can participate and share their perspectives.

It will give you a solid insight into your country’s Foreign Services: Participating in this competition will allow you to delve into studying diplomatic efforts, noteworthy events in history, the challenges Foreign Services members tackle, human rights, war and peace and so much more. It will encourage you to think beyond local context and appreciate the larger picture.

It gives great exposure: The winner will attend a paid trip to Washington D.C., where they will meet a member of the White House (last year’s winner met Secretary of State Anthony Blinken), and a paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea.

If you’d like to supplement your competitive experience with independent research, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs ! 

This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. 

You can find the application link here

One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are passionate about research, you could also consider applying to the   Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online program for students I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the   application form  here.

Also check out the   Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation , a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Image Source: AFSA's national high school essay contest logo

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