LAST WEEK to enter FIRE’s Free Speech Essay Contest!

$10,000. It's now or never. Will you be entering FIRE’s Free Speech Essay Contest this year?

We’re down to the final week for submissions; the contest officially ends at midnight on December 31, 2017. We’re looking for 800-1,000 words on the following topic: Explain why free speech is so important to higher education, and why censorship undermines the ideals of liberal education and a free society. Most of the essays we’ve received are written in either MLA or APA style and double-spaced, with 12-point font, although these are not requirements and just guidelines. The absolutely essential, non-negotiable factor for the winning entry is that it must be submitted to FIRE!

It’s time to take a seat, stop procrastinating, and collect your thoughts on this important topic, if you’d like a chance to be selected as our $10,000 top prize winner. We’ll also be awarding a $5,000 second prize, three $1,000 runner-up awards, and four $500 awards to randomly-selected entries.

You can find all the details of the contest — along with video prompts to stir your creative juices — at thefire.org/resources/high-school-network/essay-contest. You can also refer to FIRE’s archived news stories, or FIRE’s recent Speaking Freely Survey results to educate yourself on this important topic and to inspire and prepare you to address it in writing. Time is indeed short, but you still have enough time to craft a winning essay if you start today!

If you’re concerned about declining appreciation for First Amendment rights in academia, this is a perfect opportunity to stand out and persuasively make the case for free expression on campus. Don’t miss your final chance to participate in our 2017 essay contest; we’re looking forward to reading your entry!