"In Darwin's Footsteps" -- Our 2009 High School Essay Contest - Essay Deadline Feb 12, 2009
Click here to see the winners announcement
Many of the comforts and benefits of civilization that we enjoy today would be impossible were it not for the efforts of scientists to help us understand and manage the forces of the natural world. Think about it -- cell phones, airplanes, antibiotics, laser eye surgery – we take these for granted nowadays, but if it weren’t for the hard work of scientists and engineers through the centuries we would have none of them. The progress resulting from scientific research is truly one of the triumphs of civilization.
Some people don’t seem to appreciate these benefits, and they even try to blame science and scientists for all the evils of the world. We at the Alliance for Science believe that science is a noble pursuit, and believe that the best scientists should be held up as role models. One of the truly great scientists is having a special birthday in 2009 – his 200th! We are talking about Charles Darwin, the great English naturalist, who was born on February 12th, 1809, the same day as another great man, Abraham Lincoln.
One of the hallmarks of a truly brilliant idea is that, rather than ending an investigation, it opens the doors to a whole world of new discoveries. Darwin’s theory about evolution by natural selection was one of those brilliant ideas that spawned a new era of very productive investigation. Today, the world of science is a vibrant and thriving enterprise, with new discoveries and insights coming at a dizzying pace, a pace that seems only to be accelerating.
So, for our 3rd annual National High School Essay Contest, we invite students to write about a modern-day scientist, group of scientists, or even a scientific organization that is carrying forward the magnificent tradition of discovery so well represented by Charles Darwin. Accordingly, our theme for the 2009 contest is “In Darwin’s Footsteps”. We encourage you to click on the links in the table below to learn more about our contest.
| Prizes | Student prizes start with $300 for first place. Click link at left for details including incentives for sponsoring teachers. | |||
| In Darwin's Footsteps | Click on the link at left for a description of this essay topic including some possible ideas to explore in your essay. | |||
| Contest News | Click the link at lift to see news about new prizes or other developments of interest. | |||
| Official Rules | Click the link at left to view the official rules for this contest. | |||
| How to Enter | Click the link at left for information on how to register and how to submit your essay. | |||
| How to Win | Click the link at left for some valuable tips that will improve your odds of finishing high in our rankings. | |||
| Help Wanted | Click on the link below to find out how you can help the Alliance for Science with a donation or by volunteering. | |||
| 2008 Contest | Winners, winning essays, and other information from our second annual contest | |||
| 2007 Contest | Information from our first annual contest | |||
| We have a special essay contest planned for 2009 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin (details below). But we need your help! The Alliance for Science is a 501c(3) non-profit organization that depends entirely on donations. We do not charge an entry fee for our contest, nor do we solicit students or teachers for donations. We are all volunteers and our administrative expenses are very low. To donate by credit card, please click on the Donate button in the upper-left corner of this web page. If you prefer, you can send a check or money order payable to the Alliance for Science, P.O. Box 5122, Arlington VA 22205-9998. |