Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest

Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest invites students to write persuasive essays on timely, real-world issues for a chance to win cash prizes. Beyond prizes, the contest helps students build strong research, critical thinking, and writing skills

Interested in the competition?

Competition Overview

Middle school and high school students in U.S., Canada, or U.S. military address

Eligibility

Free

Entry Fee

March 13, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)

Submission Deadline

May 31, 2026

Winners Announcement

📌 Note: Aralia is not the organizer of this competition. For official rules, deadlines, and updates, please refer directly to the competition organizer. Aralia provides listings and information about competitions for student reference. Aralia is an online education platform offering competition preparation classes to students worldwide.

Competition Details

1. Eligibility

Middle School Division: Grades 5–8
High School Division: Grades 9–12
Residency: U.S., Canada, or U.S. military address
Students entering the AI Challenge are not eligible for this contest

2. Prompts

Students will choose one of four official prompts and write an essay to respond:

The Truth About Tariffs: Who Really Pays? – Analyze a specific tariff policy and its effects on prices, jobs, consumer choice, and trade.
The Birthright Citizenship Debate – Evaluate whether the 14th Amendment’s interpretation should continue or be reinterpreted, and why.
America at 250: Why It Matters to Me – Reflect on what America’s founding ideals mean to you today — and where we’ve met or missed them.
Time’s Up? Should Congress Have Term Limits? – Take a position on term limits for Congress and weigh possible tradeoffs.

For full prompts and starter resources, please go to the official website.

3. Submission Requirements