End Gun Violence Essay Contest

Human rights are freedoms and protections that belong to every single one of us. They are based on principles of dignity, equality, and mutual respect regardless of age, nationality, gender, race, beliefs and personal orientations.

Persistent gun violence in the United States is denying people their civil and political rights including their right to live, the right to security of person, and the right to be free from discrimination. Gun violence also undermines the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health and the right to education.

If you have a story we would like to hear, enter Amnesty International’s End Gun Violence Essay Contest, you’ll have a chance to win a cash prize.

Topic: Gun Violence and its Effect on Communities

Eligibility: The contest is open to any current high school and college student

Prize: College Winner will receive $1,000 cash prize

High School Winner will receive $500 cash prize

Deadline: February 15th, 2021 (11:59 p.m. PST)

Guidelines: Essay should be a minimum of 600 words max 1,000. Submission to be emailed to egv@aiusa.org

REQUIREMENTS

  • No application is required. Contest is open to current high school and college students, except where void or prohibited by law. Essays must be written in English only.
  • Essays must be submitted electronically as an attachment via egv@aiusa.orgemail address. Each submission must include name, address, cell phone and current school. If you are unable to submit an essay electronically contact us at egv@aiusa.org
  • Essay must be no fewer than 600 and no more than 1,000 words in length, double-spaced.
  • Submissions will be judged by the following criteria:
    • General Merit (25) – Ideas, Organization, Wording
    • Mechanics (25) – Usage, Punctuation/Capitalization, Spelling
    • Overall Effect (50)
  • One entry per student.
  • Deadline for submission is February 15th, 2021.
  • Essay must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the entry deadline.
  • Amnesty International USA has the right to provide contest deadline extensions when deemed appropriate.
  • Essay must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in 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 Amnesty International USA 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.
  • Decisions of the judges are final.
  • Employees of Amnesty International USA, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest.
  • Portions of Essays or its entirety may be reproduced on our website.
  • Winners, and all other participants will be notified via email by February 28th.
  • Winners are responsible for providing their mailing addresses and other necessary information under the law in order to receive any prizes. Contest winners agree to allow Amnesty International to post their names on any of Amnesty International USA’s affiliated websites. The first-place essay may be posted in its entirety on any of these websites with full credit given to the author.
  • Winners consent to participate in interviews and allow Amnesty International USA to use quotes and take photographs or make movies or videotapes of them.
  • Winners release Amnesty International USA 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.