2024 High School Essay Contest - Tampa | Middle District of Florida

The lawyers and judges of the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, through the Middle District Bench Bar Fund, and the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, invite high school students in grades 9–12 in Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties to participate in an essay contest analyzing how technology in school has affected students’ understanding of the First Amendment. Participating students, their teachers, and schools have a chance to win cash prizes as listed below.

—Announcements—

Students, thank you for participating in the 2024 High School Essay Contest. We are pleased to announce that more than 700 entries were received. The names of the top ten finalists will be posted on our court's website before December 1, 2024. A ceremony will be held at the Sam M. Gibbons United States Courthouse on December 16, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. The winners will be declared during that ceremony, including the student winning the first place prize of $2000 and the school with the most entries winning a grant of $1000. We are thrilled with this year's extraordinary turnout. Parents, teachers, and school administrators, we sincerely appreciate your continued support for the contest.

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2024 High School Essay Contest - Tampa

—Prizes^*—

First Place:

$2,000.00

Second Place:

$1,000.00

Third Place:

$500.00

Fourth through Tenth Places, each:

$250.00

Classroom Grant for Teachers
of the Top Three Winners:

$500.00

Grant for School with the
Most Qualifying Submissions:

$1,000.00

Grant for School with the Second
Most Qualifying Submissions:

$500.00

Grant for School with the Third
Most Qualifying Submissions:

$250.00

^*The first-place winner also will have an opportunity to shadow a Tampa Division United States District Judge for a day. A qualifying submission is one that satisfies all Contest Rules.

—Key Dates—

Submission Deadline: November 13, 2024, 12:00 noon EST

Top Ten Announced: By December 1, 2024

Winners Ceremony and Reception: December 16, 2024, at 4:30 PM

—Past Winning Essays—

Interested students, teachers, parents, and others can review essays submitted by the first place winners of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 contests.

—Questions—

For more information, contact Kelly Cheney, Community Outreach Coordinator, fbatampaoutreach@icloud.com.

—Essay Contest Sponsors—