Essay Contest 2021
“How We Understand, Use, and Protect Water“
About the Contest
AGI is sponsoring an essay contest to celebrate Earth Science Week 2021. The essay theme for this year is: “How We Understand, Use, and Protect Water.“
Please see below for contest guidelines.
Click here to download the essay contest entry form.
Contest Guidelines
Who can enter?
The essay contest is open to any interested person in grades 6-9. You must also be a resident of the United States to enter.
What is the subject of the essay?
Your essay should focus on the topic “How We Understand, Use, and Protect Water.“
Think of the many ways people find, study, manage, process, distribute, use, and protect water resources. Both as individuals and as a society, we make important decisions about water that touch on issues such as energy, climate change, the environment, natural hazards, technology, industry, agriculture, recreation, conservation, and the economy. How can we use water as a natural resource in ways that support sustainable practices?
How long should the essay be?
The essay must be no more than 300 words. Longer essays will be rejected unread.
What do I need to submit?
A valid submission will contain the following information:
1. A typed essay in English of no more than 300 words, focusing on the topic “How We Understand, Use, and Protect Water.“ Each essay must be original, authentic, unpublished, the sole property of the entrant, and not previously submitted in any other contest.
2. Your personal information, printed at the top of the essay:
First and last name (as it appears on your entry form)
Mailing address
Phone number
E-mail address
Word count of essay
3. A completed and signed entry form. Print out the entry form here and send it to us when you send your essay. Entries cannot be accepted without a signed entry form.
How should I submit my essay and entry form?
Essays must be submitted electronically. Paste the text of your essay, along with your contact information, into the body of an e-mail. Essays attached as separate file attachments will not be accepted. Electronic submissions must be sent to info@earthsciweek.org with the subject heading as “ESW 2021 Essay Contest.”
Entry forms may be submitted electronically as an attachment or by mail. Fill out your form, including the signature of a parent or guardian. Electronically submitted permission forms must be scanned and sent, along with essays, to info@earthsciweek.org with the subject heading as “ESW 2021 Essay Contest.”
All mailed entry forms must be sent to:
Earth Science Week 2021 Essay Contest
American Geosciences Institute
4220 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22302-1502
IMPORTANT: Whether you use mail or e-mail, you must still submit a completed and signed entry form. You may mail the form separately to the address above, or scan the completed form and send it electronically along with your essay. If you mail the entry form separately, please indicate WHEN you sent your essay electronically.
If you have any problems submitting your essay, please e-mail the Earth Science Week staff at info@earthsciweek.org.
When is the deadline?
All submissions must be received electronically by 5 p.m. ET, Friday, October 15, 2021.
Entry forms may be submitted electronically or by mail. The deadline for emailing your entry form is 5 p.m. ET, Friday, October 15, 2021. Mailed entry forms must be postmarked no later than October 15, 2021.
How will the essays be judged?
The essays will be judged by a panel of geoscientists on grammar, content, presentation, creativity, and, most importantly, relevance to and incorporation of the topic.
What are the prizes?
The selected entry will win $300 and a copy of an AGI publication. The winner's and finalists' names and entries will be posted on the Earth Science Week website. No cash substitution for prizes will be permitted, and prizes are nontransferable.
Additional Rules: By submitting an entry, an entrant represents that the essay is an original work, and the entrant is the sole owner of all rights to the essay. An entrant also agrees to allow the American Geosciences Institute to use his or her name to post on the AGI web site, without compensation unless prohibited. Each entrant retains his or her rights to their essay but grants to AGI a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the essay, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any AGI purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion. AGI will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses. The American Geosciences Institute, its agents and contractor, are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, incomplete, or postage-due entries. Contest void where prohibited or restricted by law. AGI reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. Decisions of AGI are final and binding.