John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation invites U.S. high school students to 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. Scholarship Details • Required essay of 700 to 1,000 words • Essay must be the student's original work • A minimum of five varied sources, such as government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews, must be used Eligibility Criteria • Open to high school students in grades 9-12, including correspondence/GED programs and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. • Previous winners and finalists are not eligible. • Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and their families are ineligible. Application Process 1. Write an original essay analyzing an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917. 2. Ensure the essay is between 700 and 1,000 words and includes a minimum of five varied sources. 3. Essays must be submitted by the due date at 11:59 PM (EST). The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas.