*1.Email Address(Required.)

*2.First Name of Participant(Required.)

*3.Last Name of Participant(Required.)

*4.School Name (Public/Approved Charter)(Required.)

Amikids ManateeBayshore High SchoolBraden River High SchoolBradenton Bay High SchoolLakewood Ranch High SchoolManatee High SchoolManatee School For The ArtsPace Center For GirlsPalmetto High SchoolParrish Community High SchoolSoutheast High SchoolState College Of Florida Collegiate SchoolThe Port AcademyHome Schooled within the Manatee County School System

5.Please identify an educator who significantly contributed to your high school success and elaborate on the specific reasons for their impact.

*6.Do you confirm this is your own work, without the help of others or AI?(Entries will be run through an AI filter and must receive less than 25% to qualify)(Required.)

Yes

*7.Essay theme: Lessons From My Hometown

In the next section, please upload a Word or PDF document of your essay. Entries should be between 750-1,000 words. Please do not include identifying information (name, contact information) in the document you are uploading.

Every hometown, large or small, teaches us something. It might be resilience learned after a storm, empathy shaped by a tight-knit neighborhood, ambition sparked by limited opportunities, or gratitude discovered through everyday community traditions. We invite writers to reflect on how their hometown influenced who they are and what they carry forward.

What to Write About

Your essay should explore one or more lessons you learned from your hometown, such as:

Values you absorbed from people, traditions, or local culture
A challenge your town faced and what it taught you
A place, person, or moment that changed your perspective
How your hometown shaped your identity, goals, or worldview
What you appreciate now that you didn’t understand then
A lesson you disagree with—and how you grew beyond it

Tip: Strong entries usually focus on specific moments (a scene, a conversation, a local ritual) and then connect them to a bigger takeaway.

Submission Guidelines

Length: 750–1,000 words
Format: PDF, Google Doc or Word document preferred; standard font (11–12 pt), double-spaced
Originality: Must be your original work and not previously published
Tone: Personal, reflective, and authentic—humor and honesty are welcome
Content Note: Please avoid harmful or hateful content. If discussing sensitive topics, do so thoughtfully.

Awards event: December 16 at 6:00pm at Mote Science Education Aquarium(Required.)

I understand the theme, format requirements and judging criteria.

8.Essay Title

9.Upload Essay

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