The Salient's Second Annual High School Essay Contest

Students interested in the Western tradition are encouraged to apply.

The Salient is launching its second annual high school essay contest to reward students for writing and thinking about ideas in accordance with the Western, Judeo-Christian intellectual tradition. The essays submitted will be judged by the Salient’s editorial team and Professor Emeritus Harvey Mansfield, who has championed conservative thought at Harvard for generations. Last year’s award-winning essay can be found here.

The winning essayist will receive a prize of $500, second place will receive $300, and third place will receive $200. The winning essay may be published by the Salient. The teacher or high school faculty member who refers the most students to our essay contest will receive a prize of $1,000.

If you have children or grandchildren in high school, or have friends that do, please encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity!

Entrants may choose to respond to either of the following prompts:

Some are predicting a resurgence of cultural Christianity, particularly among young men and women drawn to the stability of tradition and the comfort of belief in the divine. Yet, religious belief is different from religious practice, and the aesthetic of faith is not faith itself. Modern religion may be grounded in the religion of our ancestors, but traditions and values are inevitably reshaped as they are transmitted across generations.

How will the faith and religious practices of modern youth differ from those of historic believers?

The Salient is proud to serve as a forum for the defense of the American tradition. But the United States did not spring from nothing; American identity was defined by the ideas and efforts of many wise men and women. As we defend our values today, we must look to the examples of those who did in their own times.

Who was (or is) the greatest American, and why?

Essays are due on April 14th, 2025 at 11:59PM EDT. More information on the essay contest can be found on our website. Essays should be submitted using this form.