Jennifer Burnham, Junior School Counselor: The Coolidge Student Essay Contest

Thursday, July 10, 2025

…whose $10,000 first prize makes it one of the most generous student competitions in the country.

This essay contest has separate divisions for high schoolers and undergraduates.

Up to 10 finalists will be named in each division, and all will receive $1,000.

The essay contest focuses on economics, letting students weigh in on one of the most debated issues in America today:

Protectionism.

Specifically, the protectionist Jones Act of 1920.

Has the Jones Act worked? The students will decide.

A cash prize of $1,000
An expenses-paid trip to D.C. this fall for the finalists’ event
The opportunity to compete for the $10,000 Block Prize and the $5,000 second-place prize, and to have their essay published in the Coolidge Review, the Coolidge Foundation’s magazine

Please spread the word to your current and former students so they can start their entries. The deadline for submission is September 10.