Akron BBB's Laws of Life Essay Contest
Direct application
Up to $750
Eligibility
Education level
High school
About this scholarship
High school students in grades 9 through 12 in Ashland, Medina, Portage, Richland, Summit, or Wayne counties, Ohio, may enter the Akron BBB Laws of Life Essay Contest.
Top prizes include awards up to $750, along with $500, $250, and $150 prizes. The number of awards varies.
Write an essay reflecting on ethical principles using the UncommonSense FRAMEWORK, or a personal "law of life." Submit your essay and student entry form by the deadline.
The contest encourages students to develop character and ethical reasoning so they become responsible leaders and citizens.
Essay questions
What else to submit
- Essay
- Completed Student Entry Form
- Length (verbatim): "Essays should be 500-1000 words (2-3 pages), typed, single-sided and double-spaced."
- Open to schools/students in grades 9-12 in Ashland, Medina, Portage, Richland, Summit and Wayne counties (Ohio); students may enter independently if their school does not offer it
- Essay must be the student's original work; quotes/phrases from other sources must be properly cited
- No name or identifying information may appear anywhere on the essay itself (anonymous judging); name appears only on the Student Entry Form
- Completed Student Entry Form required for each essay; Parent/Guardian must sign if student is under 18
- Submit by email to kickes@akronbbb.org or mail to BBB, Laws of Life Essay Contest, 388 S. Main Street, Suite 302, Akron, OH 44311
- Deadline: emailed or postmarked by March 13, 2026; winners notified by May 31, 2026
- Topic is open (student chooses their own Law of Life); writing on the Special Theme JUSTICE is optional but makes the essay eligible for an additional $500 Best Special Theme award
- Essay must be the student's original work, 500 to 1,000 words, typed, single-sided, and double-spaced.
- No name or identifying information may appear on the essay; quotes or phrases from other sources must be cited.
- A parent or guardian must sign the entry form for applicants under age 18.
- The optional Justice special theme qualifies an entry for an additional prize.