Civics Essay Contest
The New Hampshire Bar Foundation is pleased to announce its first annual high school civics essay contest. Students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 (or their equivalent) during the 2024-2025 academic year are invited to submit an essay based on the prompt below for the chance to win a prize of up to $5,000. The top 3 essays will be chosen in April by a panel of judges that will include New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald. The author of the first-place essay will receive a $5,000 prize, while two second-place winners will each receive a $2,500 prize. All three award recipients will be honored at the New Hampshire Supreme Court on April 22, 2025 at 2 pm and have their essays featured on the Bar Foundation’s website.
Essay Topic: Should the government be permitted to regulate social media for people under 18? (see Essay Prompt tab below for full prompt, including essay requirements)
Word Count: 750-1,000 words
Submission Deadline: March 10, 2025, at 5 pm
Prizes: 1st place: $5,000 cash prize, 2nd place (2 winners): $2,500 cash prize
Please click the “Rules” tab below for a complete list of contest guidelines. Each entry must include a completed Contest Entry Form and completed Essay Release Form. Questions? Contact Cindy Roberts at croberts@nhbar.org or (603) 715-3267.
Essay Prompt
Contest Rules
Essay Prompt
New Hampshire Bar Foundation
High School Civics Essay Contest
2024 – 2025 Essay Prompt: Should the government be permitted to regulate social media for people under 18?
Teenage social media use has raised significant concerns about mental health, privacy, and online safety. Some argue that government regulation should protect minors, while others believe such regulations infringe on constitutional rights, including personal freedoms and parental responsibility.
In a well-organized essay, discuss whether and to what degree the government should regulate underage social media use. Does the government’s interest in protecting minors overcome their constitutional right to free speech? Should the First Amendment be applied differently to the internet than other platforms given its unique role in the lives of minors? How might the constitutional rights of other stakeholders be impacted if such regulation is permitted?
Consider both sides of the argument and include references to support your position. Your essay should focus on an analysis of constitutional rights of minors, while also considering the potential impact on other stakeholders.
Essay Requirements:
- Write a well-structured essay between 750-1,000 words. Use standard essay formatting with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
- Your essay should be original work that reflects your own thoughts and analysis.
- Present a clear position on whether the government should regulate social media use for people under the age of 18.
- Discuss both sides of the argument. Address the opposing viewpoint and why your position is stronger.
Judging Criteria
Entries will be judged on a scale of one hundred (100) points using the following criteria:
- Understanding of constitutional principles – 60 points
- Originality, clarity, and depth of analysis – 30 points
- Grammar, spelling, composition, and citations – 10 points
Contest Rules
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BAR FOUNDATION
HIGH SCHOOL CIVICS ESSAY CONTEST
2024-2025 CONTEST RULES
The contest is open to all New Hampshire students who are enrolled in grades 11-12 in public, private, parochial, and charter schools located within the State of New Hampshire. The contest is also open to all New Hampshire homeschooled students of equivalent grade status.
Students should be mindful of the contest topic and should review the essay prompt carefully; essays not responsive to the topic will be disqualified from the contest.
Students (including homeschooled students) may submit essays directly to the New Hampshire Bar Foundation. The name of a responsible adult familiar with their work (such as a teacher, guidance counselor, administrator, parent, tutor, or mentor) must be listed on the Student Entry Form.
Each student may only submit one entry.
Entries must be submitted via email no later than 5 pm on March 10, 2025. We highly encourage submission before that date to allow time for confirmation that submitted materials are complete. Late entries will not be accepted.
All entries must be the student’s original work. Any passages paraphrased or quoted from other sources must be referenced in a “Works Cited” page. Failure to do so may result in the disqualification of that entry. Such disqualifications may be made at the discretion of either the staff of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation or the contest judges.
Email the essay, the Student Entry Form, and the Student and Parent/Guardian Release Form to nhbfessaycontest@nhbar.org.
Criteria:
- Use of 12-point Cambria or Times New Roman font, double-spaced text with one-inch margins.
- Length must be between 750 – 1,000 words.
- Include page numbers. Do not include a title page or page headers or footers.
- Please save and submit the essay in PDF format. Submissions should be named as follows: First name Last name.pdf (example: John Smith.pdf). Each submission will then be assigned an identification number by the Foundation. This is so that entries may be screened and judged anonymously.
- Student’s name CANNOT be included in the essay itself.
- Any submission that includes identifying information (school, teacher/counselor, grade level, age, etc.) in the body or title of the essay will be disqualified.
- Essay submissions must include a completed Student Entry Form and completed Student and Parent/Guardian Release Form.