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2022 Ayn Rand Story Contest Winner: Connor Bryan

Unconquerable

“Unconquerable.” That’s what I tried to tell myself after waking up from a ten-day coma. The thirteen-letters of my favorite adjective stuck in my mouth as they pulled out my feeding tube. During my senior year of high school, an aggressive form of pneumonia filled my lungs with infected fluid. The disease forced the hospital to put me in a medically induced coma. After waking up, the muscles in my body had atrophied to the point where even walking was impossible. It felt like someone had turned the gravity of the room up a notch, as every remedial task was exhausting. Sitting in the hospital bed, I thought to myself, “Unconquerable? How could I be unconquerable? I can barely even feed myself!” 

Just a few months before my diagnosis, I was introduced to the works of Ayn Rand. At the time, my high school’s curriculum was filled with literature that praised the values of collectivism. Postmodern relativism was all but the default philosophical position of the faculty. “If you are white, you are an oppressor. If you are a man, you are an oppressor,” an English teacher lectured to us. After a tutor noticed my apathy with the school curriculum, she left a red and white copy of The Fountainhead on my desk. Holding the novel in my hands, I thought it would be just another piece of collectivist literature, filled with hopeless characters that ridiculed objectivity and discarded truth. When I finally sat down and brought myself to read the first page, I realized just how mistaken I was. I finished the 800-page book in a week.

The characters in Ayn Rand’s novels are different from the self-loathing characters that infested my high school books. It is such a rare sight to see someone like Howard Roark, a man who never compromises his moral principles or yields to the weight of the collective. As I sat in the hospital bed, I promised myself that: “I will succeed. I will recover, and when I do, I will live my life with the same unrelenting determination of one of Rand’s Heroes.” If Atlas could bear the whole weight of the world on his shoulders, then I could force myself to get up and walk again. When the trauma from my painful memory of the disease came, I willed myself not to give up. When anxiety and depression crippled me, I forced myself to stand tall. When nightmares lied to me and told me that I was weak, the fire of my soul burned them all away. 

Thanks to Ayn Rand, I discovered an objective purpose in life. Even though I suffered with mental illness for years after the coma, I always kept pushing forward into each new day. Regaining the muscle lost during the coma, I became a college athlete who is stronger than ever before. I took classes in philosophy, and I excelled in ethics. Every new lesson intensified my passion for learning. I studied political science and philosophy, and even started writing articles for my school newspaper. With reason as my guide, I began to rebuild my life around a central goal; to preserve individual liberty in our country. Now, just three months after graduation, I serve the Commonwealth of Virginia by working for the Lieutenant Governor. Every day I come to work motivated by the fundamental goal to protect freedom and the political values of Objectivism. 

If I could go back in time and give my younger self advice, I would say this: let the fire of your soul light your path forward. With virtue as your flint and truth as your steel, set your heart ablaze. Understand that you are capable of limitless potential. Some negative people say that truth does not exist, and life has no purpose. They say that life is just a cruel game of pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to watch it fall again. Even if that were true, then push that boulder so hard that it crumbles to dust in your hand and walk away as a free man! Man has pushed through mountains and tamed the elements to give himself freedom. Man has soared to new heights never thought achievable. If I pushed through living in that coma, I can push through any obstacle. Man’s spirit, like my own, is unconquerable. 

Connor Bryan is a young professional starting his career in politics. Born in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Connor traveled to Virginia to attend Randolph Macon College.  From a young age, Connor has always been driven by a strong sense of curiosity, justice and reverence for the truth. These principles are what led to him developing a love for writing, philosophy and political science. Connor graduated in May of 2022 and immediately began working for Governor Youngkin’s administration in Richmond, Virginia. In the future, Connor would like to further his education in Philosophy and work hard to protect liberty in the United States.

Character and Color

Steve jobs (movie review
).

Ayn Rand University /

Ayn rand essay contests, atlas shrugged, top prize : $10,000, the fountainhead, top prize : $5,000, top prize : $2,000.

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Anthem Essay Contest

Entry Deadline

Prizes Available

Eligibility

Welcome to your student dashboard for this year’s contest!

Here you can start a new application for the contest, view any of your existing saved or submitted entries, and even request a free copy of Anthem if you don’t already have access to the book. Questions? Simply write to us at [email protected] . We’re here to help!

Our Grading Criteria

Essays are judged on whether the student is able to justify and argue for his or her view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Our graders look for writing that is clear, articulate, and logically organized. Essays should stay on topic, address all parts of the selected prompt, and interrelate the ideas and events in the novel. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of Anthem .

Available Essay Topics

Ayn Rand once said that chapters XI and XII of  Anthem  contain the real anthem of the story. Consider several different definitions of the word “anthem” and then explain why you think Ayn Rand called the book “Anthem.” In what sense do you think chapters XI and XII (or the book as a whole) is an anthem? How does the book’s title relate to the themes and message of the story? Explain your answer.

For the following statement from  Anthem , explain its role in the story, its relation to the themes and message of the story, and its relevance to your own life: “Indeed you are happy,” they answered. “How else can men be when they live for their brothers?”

Equality 7-2521 has committed some of the worst crimes there are in his society. If those crimes are discovered, he faces the risk of terrible punishment. Yet in the face of this danger, and despite how much Equality has suffered at the hands of his society, he resolves to bring his invention (and admit his crimes) to the World Council of Scholars. What motivates him to come forward? What does he hope to achieve? If you were Equality’s friend (like International 4-8818) or the person who loves him (like Liberty 5-3000), what would you want him to do, and why? What do you think would be right for him to do, and why?

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Ayn Rand Essay Contests

Ages: High School, Undergraduate, Graduate

Type: Submission

Scope: none

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Participate

Have you ever read one of Ayn Rand’s thought-provoking novels? Now’s the time! Enter an Ayn Rand Institute essay contest and you’ll have a chance to win thousands of dollars in prize money. ARI has held student essay contests on Ayn Rand’s fiction since 1986, awarding over $2.2 million in prize money to contest winners! This year we will award more than $40,000 to hundreds of students worldwide.

Students can select to write an essay relating to topics from two of Ayn Rand's novels: Anthem or The Fountainhead. For each novel, there are multiple topics that can be addressed in the essay. Students can select any of these topics. See the competition website for details on the topics. Essays must be 600-1200 words in length and written in English only. Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification. Essays must be written in English only, and must be no fewer than 600 and no more than 1,200 words in length, double-spaced. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found on the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.

Website: https://www.aynrand.org/students/essay-contests

Managing Organization: Ayn Rand Institute

Contact: [email protected]

Eligibility: Open to all 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students worldwide. Entrant must be 13 years of age or older.

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[ESSAY] [AYN RAND] Apr 30, 2020: Anthem Essay Contest for Students (8th-12th graders worldwide; no fee; awards $2,000 in each of 2 categories)

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Highly recommended free contest for 8th-12th graders worldwide awards top prizes of $2,000 apiece in each of two categories (8th-10th grade students and 11th-12th grade students), other large prizes, for essays on Ayn Rand's novella Anthem. See website for essay topics and background on Rand's rationalist, libertarian worldview. Length limit is 600-1,200 words. One entry per student. Past first-prize winners are ineligible. Online submission preferred. Sponsored by the Ayn Rand Institute.

Contest details

Sponsor: The Ayn Rand Institude

Category: Essay

Submission length: 600-1,200 words

Entry fee: No fee

Awards: $2,000 in each of 2 categories

Guidelines and submission information

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

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College Scholarship: Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest

College costs are on the rise, and many families find it challenging to keep up with the increasing expenses. With 85% of college students on financial aid and 70% graduating with significant student debt, it’s no surprise that college funding is a growing concern for many families. The good news is that scholarships can significantly help to fund a college education, and there are more options out there than most families are aware of. In this series, we outline some great scholarship opportunities for college bound teens. To learn more about the Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest, and how you can win up to $10,000 towards your college education, keep reading.

About the Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest

Ayn Rand’s first novel, “The Fountainhead” is widely recognized for its philosophical themes reflecting on the economics of selfishness, and Ayn Rand’s own objectivism. While the characters and themes may at first seem one-dimensional, the novel has become known for its unusual philosophy that places value in both capitalism and individualism.

Over the years, Ayn Rand has amassed an extensive following, one that is now nurtured by the Ayn Rand Institute . For over 30 years, the Ayn Rand Institute has been host to worldwide essay contests for students based on the fiction of Ayn Rand. In 2019, they will award over 230 prizes, totaling more than $70,000.

Students who wish to participate in “The Fountainhead” essay contest must submit an essay that addresses one of three prompts based on “The Fountainhead”. The prompts for 2019 are:

• In his climactic courtroom speech, Howard Roark states: “The creator’s concern is the conquest of nature. The parasite’s concern is the conquest of men.” Explain how this quote relates to the theme as dramatized through the characters of Howard Roark, Peter Keating and Ellsworth Toohey.
• When Toohey first meets his niece Catherine, he is described as seeing a particular look on her face. What is the significance of his reaction to her look? How does his treatment of Catherine through the rest of the novel encapsulate his overall strategy for dealing with the world? For your essay, consider also what Ayn Rand says in the essay “ Through Your Most Grievous Fault .”
• Choose the scene in The Fountainhead that is most meaningful to you. Analyze that scene in terms of the wider themes in the book. In your essay, consider also what Ayn Rand has to say about what art, including literature, can do for us, in this excerpt from “ The Goal of My Writing .”

Essays are judged on a student’s skillful use of evidence to justify his or her viewpoint, and not on whether or not the student’s perspective agrees with the judges’ viewpoints. Judges look for writing that is “clear, articulate and logically organized [and] winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of ‘The Fountainhead’.”

The first place winner receives $10,000. Three second place winners will receive $2,500 each, while five third place winners will receive $500 each. A pool of 50 finalists will each receive $50.

“The Fountainhead” Essay Contest Requirements

Entries are open to students around the world, but all essays submitted must be written in English. Entrants must be in 11th or 12th grade for any part of the school year in which the contest is held.

Essays should be between 800 and 1600 words, and errors in spelling or grammar will result in point deductions during the scoring process. Essays can be submitted through the mail or online.

All submissions must be submitted online or postmarked by April 25, 2019, no later than 11:59 p.m., Pacific Standard Time. Winners will be notified in July 2019. Be sure to read the complete Contest Details for a list of all rules and requirements.

Tips on Submitting an Essay for Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest

Read and Follow All Directions. We know that juggling the various deadlines and rules of multiple scholarship contests at once can require a lot of organization, but missing a deadline or overlooking a rule will usually result in quick disqualification. Consider for a minute that most scholarship programs have hundreds if not thousands of applicants. Those who fail to abide by the official rules provide an easy and reasonable excuse for thinning them out of the applicant pool. Ensure that you don’t go down so easily by carefully adhering to all requirements.

Proofread Your Work. In any scholarship contest, the way that you present yourself on paper is especially important, but in an essay contest it becomes essential. In “The Fountainhead” contest, any grammatical or spelling errors are cause for the judges to deduct points from your final score. With big prizes on the line and many entrants vying for them, proofread your work closely so that you don’t lose any points to careless typos.  

Use the Resources Provided. In many essay contests or scholarship programs, there is very little guidance provided about the direction to take your work. While you’ll ultimately have to come up with your own unique point-of-view to be successful in this contest, there are many resources provided by the Ayn Rand Institute, and you’d be silly not to take advantage of them. Start with the example essays from past winners to see the level of work expected. Then, move on to the Resources tab to find a list of readings and lectures recommended to improve your essay content. Carefully review the available resources before you begin your essay.

Create a Scholarship Team. While it goes without saying that any work you submit needs to be yours and yours alone, there are no rules to stop you from using teachers, mentors, and friends as a sounding board for your ideas. Discuss your essay ahead of time and take feedback seriously, using it to shape the direction of your work. Then, once you’ve written your essay, gather more feedback and enlist some outside help for editing and proofreading your work. You never know when another set of eyes will find a typo or syntax error that blended in before.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

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The Fountainhead Essay Contest

For all students in grades 8 through 12, ages 13+, next entry deadline: september 13, 2024, cash prizes.

Annual Grand Prize

Essay Topic

Steven Mallory tells Roark that he fears there is something like a “drooling beast of prey” that is hanging over the world. What do we learn from the rest of the book about what is the object of Mallory’s fear and in what way is it like a beast of prey? How does Roark help Mallory and others learn to overcome it? How does Roark’s success in helping his friends combat this fear relate to the theme of the novel? To answer all of these questions, give specific examples from the novel.

Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify their view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of  The Fountainhead.

Essay submissions are evaluated in a fair and unbiased four-round judging process. Judges are individually selected by the Ayn Rand Institute based on a demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Ayn Rand’s works.

To ensure the anonymity of our participants, winners’ names are unknown to judges until after essays have been ranked and the contest results finalized.

• The Ayn Rand Institute’s (ARI’s) The Fountainhead essay contest is open to all students worldwide, except where void or prohibited by law.
• Entrants must be at least 13 years of age and be enrolled as an 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th student during the school year in which the contest is held. ARI reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule, on a case-by-case basis, for international students or for students with nonstandard school years. Verification of school enrollment will be required for all winning entrants.
• Students are permitted to submit no more than one entry to the contest, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements outlined above and have not previously won first-place in the contest.
• Essays must not include any personally identifiable information (name, email, school, et cetera). Your entry may be disqualified should such information be discovered in the essay.
• Essays must be written in English only, and be between 800 and 1,600 words in length. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found in the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.
• Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
• Essays must not infringe on any third-party rights or intellectual property of any person, company or organization. By submitting an essay to this contest, the entrant agrees to indemnify ARI for any claim, demand, judgment or other allegation arising from possible violation of someone’s trademark, copyright or other legally protected interest in any way in the entrant’s essay.
• Essays must be submitted electronically through ARI’s online application portal. If you are unable to submit your essay electronically, please contact us at [email protected].
• Essays must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the entry deadline. ARI reserves the right to provide contest deadline extensions on a case-by-case basis when deemed appropriate.
• All entries become the property of ARI and will not be returned.
• All entrants consent to participate in a video interview should ARI deem it necessary for the purposes of verifying eligibility, confirming entry information, or conducting any other relevant assessments related to the contest. Entrants understand that participation in such interviews is voluntary but may be required to determine eligibility status, and agree to make reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests within a timeframe as specified by ARI.
• All entrants who advance to the final round of grading will be expected to participate in a video interview with ARI. Declining such an interview may result in disqualification from the contest.
• All entrants will be notified of the final results via email within three months of the contest deadline.
• Winners are responsible for providing their mailing addresses and other necessary information under the law in order to receive any prizes. Prizes must be claimed within six months of the results being announced.
• Winners agree to allow ARI to post their names and school information on any of its affiliated websites.
• Winners agree to record a short video testimonial about their experience reading The Fountainhead, and consent to ARI’s sharing of said video with donors who make the essay contest possible.
• Winners agree to participate in interviews and allow ARI to use quotes and take photographs or videotapes of them.
• Winners also grant to ARI the right to edit, use and reuse said products for non-profit purposes including use in print, on the internet and all other forms of media.
• Winners release ARI and its agents and employees from all claims, demands, and liabilities whatsoever regarding the above.
• Winners will be solely responsible for any federal, state or local taxes.
• Employees of ARI, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate.

How to Enter

Submit your essay

You will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of your entry within 24 hours. If it has been  at least 24 hours , and you still have not received e-mail notification, please first check your junk or spam folders and then e-mail us at [email protected] . Please do not re-submit your essay.

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