The 2026–27 Student Writing Contest topic will go live in October 2026. Submissions will be accepted from October 26, 2026, through January 22, 2027. We look forward to having you participate! 

Contest Policies

Eligibility

The contest is open to US students in grades 7–12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of 20 enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the US territories; and US citizens attending schools overseas.

Requirements

• Students must submit a typed essay of no more than 750 words but a minimum of 500 words, not including citations and bibliography. Essays must be uploaded as a PDF.
• Essays must be titled and be five paragraphs. It must double spaced and formatted in 12-point font (Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman).
• Students must use at least five different sources. Examples include government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews. Essays with fewer than five listed sources will be disqualified. Students must cite their sources throughout their essay; please use parenthetical citations within the text. Footnote citations will not be accepted.
• Essays must include a bibliography. Accepted formats include APA, MLA, or Turabian.
• Essays must be the original work of the student. They may be checked for AI assistance and will be disqualified if AI use is detected within the essay or bibliography.
• At the top right corner, students must include their unique code: first two letters of their first name, first two letters of their last name, grade (number), state abbreviation (two letters), and last four numbers of their cell phone number. (Example: 10th grade student Jane Doe from Louisiana – code = JaDo10LA1234)

The National WWII Museum is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible, or incomplete submissions. By entering, you agree that your essay will become the property of The National WWII Museum and will not be returned. The National WWII Museum reserves the right to print and display the names, photographs, and entries of the contest winners.

Additional Resources

• For help with citations, writing a bibliography, and avoiding plagiarism, check out the Purdue Online Writing Lab. 

Recognition and Awards

There will be two judging categories: Junior (grades 7–9) and Senior (grades 10–12).

• First place winners in both categories will win $750 each.
• Second place winners in both categories will win $500 each.
• Third place winners in both categories will win $250 each.
• Honorable Mentions in both categories will win $100 each.

Decisions of the Student Writing Contest are final.