Essay Contest

Students in Grades 7 through 12 may compete with a library research paper in the “Essay Only” segment Paper Session Competition. However, this does not rule out the possibility of personal experimentation as a supplement to the library research.

The theme for 2025 essay is:

 "Impossible to I’m Possible: Progress Bit by Bit”

This theme is related to the overall 2024-2025 IJAS Theme: Computers.

Every year, IJAS sponsors a STEM essay contest. To participate, please review the guidelines below.

1.    Theme and Prompts

a.    The theme for this year is “Impossible to I’m Possible: Progress Bit by Bit”. Essays should answer the prompt and be related to this theme. The prompts are:

                                              i.     For Middle School (Grades 7 and 8)

Prompt 1: Describe one major scientific innovation that has happened within your lifetime. Construct a well-researched argument on how this development has advanced societal understanding of science and impacted peoples’ lives.

OR

Prompt 2: In today’s world, there are many global challenges and hardships. Explain one of these challenges in detail, the scientific progress made in solving this issue, and what more is needed to completely solve this issue.

                                            ii.     For High School (Grades 9-12)

Prompt 1: Identify an emerging technology from the past five years, and explain the technology’s impact at its inception, the current significance of this technology, and a prediction on how it might shape the future.

OR

Prompt 2: Investigate an innovation that bridges multiple scientific disciplines. How has this approach advanced societal understanding of scientific capabilities, and what future innovations could emerge from this collaboration?

b.    Participants may choose to write about either prompt for their grade level–but not both–in their essay. While writing, they should make sure that the essay answers the prompt, is related to the theme, and explores specific topics or issues related to the prompt and theme in the essay.

2.    Essay Format

a.    The essay should follow this year’s theme and answer one of the prompts above. Participants must choose a prompt from their grade level only.

b.    The essay should follow APA format, including APA in-text citations and references.

c.     All participants must submit their own original essay. They may receive help from others, but any essays that are found to be plagiarized or written using AI will be disqualified.

d.    The essay should be research based and utilize a wide range of sources.

e.     Ensure that the sources used are reputable, accurate, and relevant to the topic.

3.    Essay Submission

a.    Any student in grades 7th through 12th, whose school is a member of Chicago Public Schools must submit their essay first to our Regional Science Fair database, SurveyMonkey Apply.

b.    Essays from CPS schools will go through the approval process first. Any CPS student who desires to participate in the Essay contest must have their sponsor submit their essays via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NV4kfJhtGoDpUW799

c.     In completion of the form, you will submit your essay no later than January 24, 2025, for evaluation and selection. Please do not send paper copies or email. Late essays will not be accepted.

d.    Once the CPS essay committee has selected the best essays to send to the IJAS Student Board, they will select finalists. Those IJAS finalists will then give an oral presentation about their essay over Zoom to the IJAS Student Board. Finalists will be notified about a meeting date in April. They will be asked to give a well-researched presentation that supports their essay. The presentation will be limited to 10 minutes. More information will be provided to the finalists once they have been selected.

4.    Awards

a.    Participants who win an award at the State level will receive a monetary prize.

5.    Essay Format

a.    Essay Cover Page (See link on CPS Science Fair website > Documents > Essay Cover Page or here: https://cpsscifair.org/Docs/EssayCover8.pdf)

b.    Give the essay a title that is indicative of the content of the essay.

                                              i.     If supplemental experimentation is used, a Safety Sheet and any applicable endorsement(s) must be attached.

c.     Table of Contents

d.    Introduction

e.     Body–Discussion

f.     Conclusion or Summary

g.    Reference List – A list of published articles, books, and other communications cited in the essay, using APA format. Do not refer to this list as a bibliography.

h.    The essay should be 1,200 to 1,500 words. The essay should include 8 – 10 current references and no more than one reference to an encyclopedia. Students are to type their last name and the title of the essay at the top of each page. Papers should follow the basic rules of essay writing and should be carefully proofread.

i.      Entries are due January 24, 2025.