ES

Organize a essay competition

International Human Rights Essay Competition

Overview of the Competition:

You will be organizing an essay competition focused on global human rights issues, where students from Wycombe Abbey will be encouraged to research, write, and submit essays on contemporary human rights challenges. The aim is to enhance awareness of human rights among your peers, improve critical thinking, and engage students in global ethical debates.

Why It’s Beneficial for You:

  • Demonstrates Leadership Skills: By organizing and managing the competition, you will showcase your leadership skills, project management, and ability to motivate your peers to engage with complex, global issues.

  • Enhances Personal Statement: Running a high-profile competition for your peers will be a unique and impressive feature of your personal statement for Oxbridge and other top universities. It will demonstrate your ability to take initiative, create opportunities for others, and engage with important global issues.

  • Alignment with A-Levels: The competition ties in with your Philosophy, Politics, and Geography A-levels. By managing this competition, you’ll also be able to make connections with students and faculty members in those subjects, helping you develop further academic relationships.

  • Public Policy, Consulting & Law Exposure: Organizing this competition shows your commitment to social change, and aligns with future careers in Consulting, Public Policy, or Law, as you’ll be engaging with key global issues and ethical dilemmas.

Steps to Organize the Competition:

1. Planning & Structure

  • Define the Focus: Select a specific human rights theme for the year. This could be a current issue like:

    • Refugee Rights.

    • Gender Equality.

    • Climate Change and Human Rights.

    • Freedom of Speech in authoritarian regimes.

  • Set a Word Limit: Typically, you should set the word limit between 1,000–2,000 words for a balanced essay that encourages research but remains concise.

  • Competition Rules: Establish clear rules such as:

    • Open to all students in Years 11–13.

    • Original work only, no plagiarism.

    • Essay format: Times New Roman, 12pt font, 1.5 line spacing.

    • Citations must follow a recognized style (e.g., Harvard or Chicago style).

  • Prize(s): Consider the prize(s) for the winners, such as:

    • Gift cards for bookshops or online educational resources.

    • A certificate of achievement signed by your school’s head.

    • Feature the winning essays in the school newsletter or a special yearbook edition.

2. Organizing the Administrative Side:

  • Faculty Support: Seek support from a Philosophy, Politics, or Geography teacher at Wycombe Abbey who can serve as the faculty sponsor for the competition. They can help with any ethical guidelines and provide feedback on the final essays.

  • Approval from the School Administration: Obtain formal approval from the school head or academic dean. Present them with your proposal, highlighting the educational benefits and your commitment to managing the event.

  • Create a Timeline:

    • Launch Date: Announce the competition early in the school year, around September/October.

    • Submission Deadline: Set the deadline for the end of the autumn term (around December).

    • Judging: Have the essays reviewed in January, with feedback from faculty members and potentially even guest judges (such as local activists or human rights experts).

    • Winner Announcement: Announce winners at a school assembly or via a special email or newsletter in February.

3. Promoting the Competition:

  • School Announcements: Promote the competition through posters around the school and announcement boards. Also, use email or the school’s internal system to make an official announcement to all students.

  • Social Media: Create a simple Instagram or Twitter account (school-approved) to promote the event, with regular posts, countdowns to the deadline, and occasional tips on writing essays or researching human rights topics.

  • Classroom Discussions: Collaborate with your teachers to discuss the competition in class, so students know about it and get excited. Encourage students in Politics, Geography, Philosophy, and History to participate.

4. Judging the Essays:

  • Set Up a Judging Panel:

    • Approach teachers in Philosophy, Politics, History, and Geography to serve as judges. You could also reach out to external experts, such as local human rights activists or university professors in Law or Philosophy.

  • Establish Judging Criteria: Essays should be judged on:

    • Argumentation and clarity.

    • Research depth and use of credible sources.

    • Originality and innovative solutions.

    • Writing style and structure.

  • Provide Feedback: Offer constructive feedback to all participants. This could be written feedback or even a one-on-one meeting where you discuss their work.

5. How to Execute It and Make It Sustainable:

  • Publicize the Winning Essays: Ensure that the winning essays are showcased within the school community. You can organize a small presentation during an assembly or publish the winning essays in the school newsletter.

  • Create a Digital Archive: Consider starting a digital archive of the competition so that students can access past winning essays for inspiration in future years. This also makes the competition more sustainable and a continuing tradition for Wycombe Abbey.

  • Future Growth: If successful, consider expanding the competition in the future, perhaps involving other local schools or incorporating a fundraising component for relevant human rights causes.

Best Year to Run It:

  • Year 12: This is an ideal year to organize the competition, as it will allow you to demonstrate leadership and organizational skills while still having enough time to focus on your A-levels. You can use the experience to discuss your leadership in your university applications.

  • Year 13: If you want to dedicate your final year to preparing for university applications, you can organize the competition in Year 13 as a last effort to build up your CV before applying to Oxbridge, LSE, or Ivy Leagueuniversities. However, this may be more challenging due to your already heavy workload.

How It Enhances Your University Applications:

  • Oxbridge: Demonstrating the ability to organize a competition around a global human rights issue will show initiative, critical thinking, and the ability to contribute to intellectual discussions. It highlights leadership and shows you are an active participant in academic communities.

  • LSE & UCL: For Law, Politics, or Public Policy at LSE and UCL, organizing an essay competition on human rights shows your commitment to global issues and demonstrates your ability to take on academic challengesbeyond the classroom. It shows potential for academic inquiry and leadership.

  • Ivy League: For Harvard, Yale, or Stanford, initiating such a project shows you are not just interested in academic learning but in global advocacy and social change—qualities highly valued in applicants.