SCHOLARSHIP RULES AND CRITERIA

  1. Contestants must be an African American Junior or Senior in High School attending one of the fourteen designated far South Suburban High Schools, namely: Bloom, Bloom Trail, Bremen Township, Crete Monee, Eisenhower, Hillcrest, Homewood-Flossmoor, Marian Catholic, Rich Township Central and South Campuses, Southland College Prep., Thornton, Thornridge, and Thornwood. An Essay Application must be completed and signed by the student.

  2. Essays are required to be original works and must have been written within 6 months of the due date.

  3. Contestants must submit four copies of their essay with a signature on the last page, and submitted on or before the deadline of Saturday, May 17, 2025.

  4. The top of each page must include the contestant's name, title of the essay, date written, and page number. A cover page should precede the first page of text, and all pages thereafter must be numbered.

  5. The essay must consist of at least a minimum of (6) eight pages, and a maximum of (10) ten pages, double-spaced using Times Roman or Courier 12 font. A Bibliography is required and does not count toward the minimum page requirement.

  6. Contestants must be prepared to answer questions if asked by one or more judges.

  7. Essays and an application must be mailed and postmarked on or before Saturday, May 17, 2025. Please mail to:

    WSESF

Essay Competition 262 Main Street

Park Forest, IL 60466

Essays are judged by the following criteria:

  1. Creativity and literary expression of subject matter

  2. Grammar usage, spelling, and overall organization

  3. Degree of complexity of the topic and contestant's knowledge of the subject matter

  4. Credibility of cited resources and research materials

  5. Quantity of supporting documentation using Footnotes & Bibliography

An essay is an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view.

An original essay is the written expression of the author's opinion. At best, an essay blends facts with imagination, knowledge, and emotions, never giving itself wholly to one or the other. The essay's purpose is always the same: to express an opinion about a specific subject. Therefore, the writer should feel strongly about the topic; one that he or she has experienced, witnessed, or has a serious opinion or interest in the subject.

ESSAY APPLICATION