jfk essay contest winners

An 18-year-old Pete Buttigieg won a JFK Library essay contest. His subject was Bernie Sanders.

"i absolutely would not have pictured then that i’d wind up potentially competing with him.".

By Nik DeCosta-Klipa

Nearly two decades ago, an Indiana high school student won a national award from the John F. Kennedy Library for his essay about a little-known Vermont congressman. Out of more than 600 submissions, the Boston institution picked 18-year-old Pete Buttigieg as the winner of its 2000 Profile in Courage Essay Contest for his piece on then-Rep. Bernie Sanders, which praised the House’s sole Independent member for “giving me an answer to those who say American young people see politics as a cesspool of corruption, beyond redemption.” “I have heard that no sensible young person today would want to give his or her life to public service,” Buttigieg wrote. “I can personally assure you this is untrue.”

That said, even Buttigieg admits he couldn’t have imagined how true those words would be.

“There’s no way I would have guessed that I’d be in this situation,” he said in a recent interview on the podcast “Pod Save America.”

After attending Harvard and Oxford, working in consulting, becoming mayor of his home city of South Bend, and serving in the Navy Reserves, Buttigieg’s name has become a hot commodity in Democratic politics . The 37-year-old is officially exploring a 2020 bid for the White House, amid a crowded field of Democratic candidates that includes Sanders, who is hoping to recapture the energy of his surprisingly successful 2016 campaign.

And now, at least in the early stages of the 2020 primary race, Buttigieg is the one riding a wave of unexpected national attention . A recent Iowa poll had the millennial mayor in third place among likely Democratic caucusgoers, trailing only former Vice President Joe Biden and Sanders. On Monday, his campaign announced a formidable first-quarter fundraising haul for any presidential candidate, let alone a small-city mayor.

“ I absolutely would not have pictured then that I’d wind up potentially competing with him,” he told “Pod Save America,” when asked about running against his 77-year-old political idol.

In his essay, Buttigieg praised Sanders’s “courage” for describing himself as a “socialist,” at a time when most Democrats shied away from even the word “liberal” like “a horrid accusation.”

“Even though he has lived through a time in which an admitted socialist could not act in a film, let alone hold a Congressional seat, Sanders is not afraid to be candid about his political persuasion,” he wrote.

But it wasn’t only Sanders’s honesty that impressed the St. Joseph’s High School student, who is now vying to be the country’s first openly gay major-party presidential nominee. Buttigieg also praised Sanders — who passed more roll call amendments than any other House member during his time in the Republican-controlled chamber — for being “a powerful force for conciliation and bi-partisanship on Capitol Hill.”

“It may seem strange that someone so steadfast in his principles has a reputation as a peacemaker between divided forces in Washington, but this is what makes Sanders truly remarkable,” wrote the Indiana native. “He represents President Kennedy’s ideal of ‘compromises of issues, not of principles.’”

Buttigieg’s essay was chosen as the contest winner by a committee that included Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, and former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson. The high schooler and his family traveled to Boston that May to accept the award, which included a $3,000 prize and was named after President John F. Kennedy’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage.  At the Columbia Point library and museum, Buttigieg met with members of Kennedy’s family, including his daughter Caroline Kennedy and grandson Jack Schlossberg.

In a statement to Boston.com, Schlossberg commended the “intellect, patriotism and optimistic embrace of political courage” Buttigieg showed in his essay and noted that their “paths would cross” again in 2015 when the young mayor’s achievements in South Bend were honored with one of the JFK Library Foundation’s New Frontier awards .

“I’m glad Americans across the country are getting to know Mayor Pete, and that the Foundation’s deliberation process seems to be working,” Schlossberg said.

Buttigieg speaks to a crowd last month at the Circle of Friends Community Center in Greenville, South Carolina.

Looking back on his essay as a presidential candidate, Buttigieg told “Pod Save America” he was fascinated how Sanders “owned” the socialist label and “didn’t seem to care as much about the politics of it.” But he himself doesn’t identify as a socialist — or a democratic socialist, as Sanders does — but as a “progressive” who believes in “democratic capitalism.”

“I’ve grown up in a time when you can pretty much tell that there’s tension between capitalism and democracy, and negotiating that tension is probably the biggest challenge for America right now,” Buttigieg, who is expected to officially launch his campaign later this month, told Vox in an interview published last week .

If elected, he thinks Democrats should prioritize political reforms that address the “ dysfunction in our system ,” such as eliminating the Electoral College , restructuring the Supreme Court , and possibly getting rid of the Senate filibuster .

Despite coming from a Republican-leaning state, Buttigieg also generally supports many of the same big policy proposals as Sanders, such as the framework of the Green New Deal and single-payer health care (though he’s advocated for a more gradual approach on health care, such as offering a Medicare-type public option ). As he told “Pod Save America,” Buttigieg also points to Sanders as evidence that “there’s more to working with Republicans than ideological centrism.”

However, Buttigieg says his experience as a rural-city mayor (Sanders also served as mayor of Burlington in the 1980s) and profile as a gay, millennial, church-going veteran from the Midwest may help him speak to a broader swath of voters.

“I’m glad he’s in the picture,” he said of Sanders in his podcast interview last month. “I think it represents a real important way to establish kind of what the terms of the debate are. But I also think in the end I have a somewhat different message, and I’m obviously a very, very different messenger.”

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John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

One thing that quickly becomes apparent to high school students preparing for college is the burden of funding a four-year degree. Fortunately for college-bound students, there are numerous ways to reduce the cost of school. One of the most notable methods is pursuing a wide range of scholarships and awards. An award that students with exceptional writing and researching skills should consider is the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest.

About the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

In 1954, John F. Kennedy took a leave of absence from the Senate to recover from back surgery. Kennedy used that time to study the topic of political courage, which inspired him to later write the Pulitzer-Prize winning book Profiles in Courage —detailing the careers of eight Senators whom Kennedy believed demonstrated enormous courage when faced with pressure from their parties and constituents.  

Today, the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest asks students to follow in Kennedy’s footsteps by researching and writing a creative original essay about an elected official who risked their career to take a stand on moral principles. The essay contest serves as a companion project to the Kennedy Library Foundation’s Profile in Courage Award, which honors elected officials who have demonstrated incredible political courage.

The winner of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest receives a $10,000 cash award and is invited to accept their prize at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts during the Profile in Courage Award events—with all travel and lodging expenses paid for. In addition to the award winner, the runner-up will receive a $3,000 award, the five finalists each receive $1,000 awards, and the eight semi-finalists are awarded $100 each.

In addition to the winners, ten students are selected for honorable mention and all participants receive a certificate of participation.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest Applicant Requirements

The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is available to U.S. high school students in grades nine through twelve. Students need to be enrolled in a public, private, parochial, or homeschool high school program in one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., or a U.S. territory. The contest also accepts submissions from U.S. citizens attending school overseas.

How to Apply

In order to participate in the Profile of Courage Essay Contest, students need to be recommended by a teacher who will support and advise the student in the creation of their essay. Nominating teachers can be former or current teachers of the applicant, but must still be still teaching at the school the participant is enrolled in. Rarely, an exception may be made if a student is unable to be nominated by a teacher from their school. For applicants who are homeschooled, the parent or legal guardian can fill the role of a nominating teacher.

An applicant’s essay is required to describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official on the local, state, or national level who served between 1917 (the year of Kennedy’s birth) and the present. Essays need to be an original work of the applicant and fall between 700 and 1,000 words—citations and bibliography do not count toward the word count. Additionally, applicants should cite a minimum of five sources.

John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Edward M. Kennedy, along with the senators featured in Profiles of Courage are not eligible subjects for essays. It’s also recommended to avoid writing about present or past presidents of the United States.

Past winners of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest are not eligible to participate again. Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and their family members are also ineligible for the award.

Tips on Applying For Awards

Don’t Miss Deadlines: Pay close attention to deadlines and don’t wait until the last minute to submit your essay. The Profile in Courage Essay can be submitted via email or traditional mail. If you decide to submit your materials via traditional mail, the application must be postmarked on its due date.

Follow Directions: The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest has specific rules about how many words are allowed, sources needed, what information needs to be included, and how sources should be cited. It would be extremely disappointing to write a winning essay only to be disqualified because you made a mistake like forgetting to include a bibliography.

Proofread: Applicants for the Profile in Courage Essay Contest should work closely with their nominating teacher to ensure that they submit a clean essay free of grammatical, typographical, and spelling errors, along with making sure the essay flows and meets the submission requirements.

Research: In addition to researching for their essay, applicants should research past winners to get an understanding of what a winning essay looks like. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum maintains a list of winners and their essays on their website .  

Professional Appearance: When applying for any distinguished award, there’s a chance that your social media profiles will be looked at. Audit your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter profiles and delete any content that could be potentially damaging. While you’re at it, make sure you have a professional-looking email address to correspond with.

Get Professional Help: CollegeVine helps students win awards. Our expert advisors can provide whatever assistance a student needs, whether it’s staying ahead of deadlines or crafting an exceptional essay.

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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John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

In Profiles in Courage , John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. These leaders demonstrated political courage by taking a stand for the public good in spite of pressure by interest groups, their political party, or even their constituents. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage .

Contest Topic: Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917 , the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level.

The contest deadline is January 17, 2025.

Visit the Profile in Courage Essay Contest section of the JFK Library website for more requirements, judging criteria, past winning essays, and additional information.

Registration and Submission

Please read Contest Topic and Information carefully before submitting your essay. Essays must meet   contest requirements to qualify for evaluation.

The Profile in Courage Essay Contest has upgraded its registration and submission technology, and we now use the SurveyMonkey Apply platform. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the Profile in Courage Essay Contest Coordinator.

Important Note: Before contacting the Profile in Courage Essay Contest Coordinator, please be sure to review the contest web pages and read over the FAQ section of the web site.

Email: [email protected]

Sep 1 2024 12:00 AM (EDT)

Jan 17 2025 11:59 pm (est).

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Ages: High School

Type: Submission

Scope: National

[email protected]

Participate

In  Profiles in Courage , John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. These leaders demonstrated political courage by taking a stand for the public good in spite of pressure by interest groups, their political party, or even their constituents. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of  political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in  Profiles in Courage .

Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after  1917 , the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level. The maximum word count is 1,000 with a minimum of 700, not including citations and bibliography. Use at least five varied sources such as government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews. All submissions must adhere to  contest requirements .

Content (55%)

Demonstrated understanding of political courage.

• Demonstrated an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in  Profiles in Courage
• Identified an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917.
• Proved that the elected official risked his or her career to address an issue at the local, state, national, or international level
• Explained why the official's course of action best serves or has served the larger public interest
• Outlined the obstacles, dangers, and pressures the elected official is encountering or has encountered

 Originality

• Thoughtful, original choice of a U.S. elected official
• Story is not widely known, or a well-known story is portrayed in a unique way

Supporting Evidence

• Well-researched
• Convincing arguments supported with specific examples
• Critical analysis of acts of political courage

Source Material

• Bibliography of five or more varied sources
• Includes primary source material
• Thoughtfully selected, reliable

Presentation (45%)

Quality of writing.

• Style, clarity, flow, vocabulary

Organization

• Structure, paragraphing, introduction and conclusion

Conventions

• Syntax, grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Website: https://www.jfklibrary.org/Education/Profile-in-Courage-Essay-Contest/

Managing Organization: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Contact: [email protected]

Eligibility: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. Past winners and finalists are not eligible to participate. Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate. All students must list the name of their nominating teacher on the registration form. The role of a nominating teacher is to provide students with support and advice during the writing of their essay.

Registration Opens: September 1, 2019

Registration Closes: January 18, 2020

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JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Offered by John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Multiple awards worth

$100 - $10,000

Grade level

High School Students

Application deadline:

January 17, 2025

Scholarship Overview

Are you a U.S. high school student with a love for U.S. history? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest! Each year, the contest awards up to $10,000 to winning applicants who submit a 700 – 1,000-word essay following the year’s prompt. Each year’s prompt relates to U.S. history, with this year’s being: “ Describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. ” The scholarship is offered by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.

If you love U.S. history and want to put your writing skills and history knowledge to the test, we encourage you to apply!

Eligibility information

This scholarship is open to students meeting the below eligibility criteria.

Political Science

U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents

Application information

To apply for this scholarship, students must submit an online application in addition to the below application materials. Bear in mind that applicants must also have a “nominating teacher” who are currently teaching at the same high school as the applicant. Nominating teachers are responsible for providing advice and support to the student throughout the application process.

700-1,000-word essay

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Scholarship Essay Contest

Every year, the john f. kennedy hyannis museum foundation invites high school seniors who are residents of barnstable (cape cod), nantucket or dukes (martha’s vineyard) counties to participate in an essay competition every march and relate the personal meaning of one of president kennedy’s quotes to the student’s own civic engagement experiences..

2024 Essay Winner Daniela Novoa Read More

2023 Essay Winner Luc-Andre’ Sader Read More

2022 Essay Winner Sadie LaBonte Read More

2022 Essay Winner Etzer Lindor Read More

The 2025 JFK Hyannis Museum Essay Contest

Check back for details of the 2025 JFK Hyannis Museum Foundation’s essay contest.

Eligibility :

• Applicants must be residents of Barnstable (Cape Cod), Nantucket or Dukes (Martha’s Vineyard) counties.
• Students must be enrolled in senior year of high school.

Submission Guidelines:

• An introduction that outlines the main ideas of your essay, including your personal interpretation of President Kennedy’s quote.
• A description of your own civic engagement experiences and how those efforts relate to trying to make a difference in your community, state, and/or country.
• Explain how these experiences will shape your future.
• 300-500 words in length.
• Student name
• Home address
• Cell phone number
• Email address
• College acceptance letter copy or letter of intent for a certificate program 
• Copy of your most recent transcript including semester and cumulative GPA
• Or attach a copy of your school’s scholarship application
• The winner will be asked to read their essay to the Board of Directors of the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum. 
• All contestants agree to allow the museum to publish their essays, names and graduating high school on the museum website.
• Scholarship will be paid to the student directly upon proof of acceptance to a four-year college or accredited institution of higher education.
• The deadline to apply is in March , by sending an attachment containing the essay to [email protected] .  The museum foundation board will vote on essay recommendations at the board meeting held in May (typically the third week of the month).

The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3  non-profit organization.

Have Questions? Contact Wendy Northcross, Museum Director at [email protected] or text 508-364-4557.

Join us for our Annual JFK Library Members' Reception on September 18th!

Recognition and awards.

• The winner receives a  $10,000  cash award. If the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation holds the 2025 Profile in Courage Award event in person, the winner and their family will be invited to travel to Boston to accept their award in May 2025. Travel and lodging expenses will be paid for the trip to Boston for the winning student and their parents.
• Second-place winner receives  $3,000 .
• Five finalists receive  $1,000  each.
• Ten semifinalists receive  $100  each.
• Eight students receive honorable mentions.
• The nominating teacher of the first-place winner is also invited to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library to receive the John F. Kennedy Public Service Grant in the amount of  $500  for school projects encouraging student leadership and civic engagement. Travel and lodging expenses will be paid for the trip to Boston.
• All participants receive a Certificate of Participation.

Winners and finalists will be notified by April 30. All participants will receive a letter announcing the winners and finalists by the end of May.

Please do not call the Kennedy Presidential Library for information about the status of your essay. All participants receive a Certificate of Participation.