The Humanist Essay Contest will award $1,000 to the high school student who writes the winning 1,500-2,500 word essay.  The deadline is April 3, 2009.

PRIZES:

1st Prize: $1,000, three-year membership in the American Humanist Association, and an invitation to present your essay at the AHA Annual Conference (does not include travel expenses).

2nd Prize: Library of ten Humanist books and a three-year membership in the AHA.

3rd Prize: Three-year membership in the AHA.

Honorable Mentions: One-year membership in the AHA.

The essay should be about humanism—a naturalistic and democratic outlook informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion—to broad areas of social and personal concern.   Prizes are awarded for originality of thought, sense of emotional engagement, clarity and quality of presentation, amount of research evidenced, and future potential shown by the author.