FFRF Student Essay Contests

2009 FFRF High School Senior Essay Competition

First Prize: Blanche Fearn Memorial Award–$2,000
Second Place–$1,000
Third Place–$500
Honorable Mention(s)–$200

“Why Darwin Is Important to America”

The 2009 High School Essay Contest is closed. Thank you to all who participated. We will be announcing the winners soon. Winning essays will be published in Freethought Today with excerpts from Honorable Mentions.

Please check back February 2010 for details on the next essay contest, including topic, guidelines and eligibility.

2009 FFRF College Essay Competition

First Prize: Michael Hakeem Memorial Award–$2,000
Second Place–$1,000
Third Place–$500
Honorable Mention(s)–$200

"Why I Reject Religion," "Why I am an Atheist/Agnostic/Unbeliever," or "Growing Up a Freethinker"

Eligibility: Currently-enrolled college students. (High-school seniors enrolling in college this fall should enter High School Essay Competition.) The contest is open only to North American students or students enrolled in North American colleges or universities at least through December 2009.

Topic: College students are asked to write about "Why I Reject Religion," "Why I am an Atheist/Agnostic/Unbeliever," or "Growing Up a Freethinker." They may use a personal (biographical) or a philosophical or sociological approach. They may critique the bible or other religious claims in describing why they choose reason over faith. Experiences in rejecting religion in a religious society may be included. Requirements: Essay should be 4-5 typed, double-spaced pages with standard margins. Choose your own title. Include a separate paragraph biography identifying the college or university you are attending, year in school, major and interests. Provide permanent and campus addresses, phone numbers and email. Please staple. Do not include a resume. No faxes or emails will be accepted.

Deadline: July 1, 2009. Winners will be announced in September 2009. Winners will be asked to provide a photograph suitable for publication. By entering our contest, winning students agree to have their essays printed in full or in part in Freethought Today, the Foundation’s newspaper, and later posted online at our website. Winners will receive a school-year subscription to Freethought Today. All eligible non-winning entrants will be offered the choice of a freethought book, or a school-year subscription to Freethought Today.

Who was Michael Hakeem? He was a professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who died at age 90 in 2006. Mike, the son of first-generation immigrants, was the first in his family to go to college and went on to earn a Ph.D. He influenced generations with his classes in critical thinking. A stalwart atheist, he was chair of the Foundation’s governing board for many years. The college competition, which has been offered as a memorial for several activist Foundation members over the last 30 years, is now being offered as a memorial to this Foundation activist, volunteer and benefactor.

Mail (don’t email) essay, postmarked no later than July 1, 2009, to:
College Essay Competition
FFRF, Inc.
PO Box 750
Madison WI 53701