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2026 ESSAY CONTESTS $5000, $2500, AND $1250 PRIZES

   

The Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation (khref.org) is offering prizes of $5000, $2500, and $1250 to high school students judged to have written the best answers to the question below.  There are two contests and two sets of prizes: one for high school students who are citizens or residents of the U.S. and one for high school students who are citizens and residents of other countries.

QUESTION

  When if ever do human rights violations by a country against its own citizens justify armed intervention by other countries?

CRITERIA

  Essays will be judged according to how clearly and well they answer the question and the extent to which they are supported by research. They are due on or before December 10, 2026 (Human Rights Day) and should:  1. Be written in English.  2. Not including the footnotes and bibliography be 2500 words or less. 3. Be submitted as a Microsoft Word attachment to: kemperhumanrights@gmail.com or by regular mail to: KHREF, 184 Fillow Street, Norwalk, CT 06850, USA. 4. Via footnotes and a bibliography indicate the names, titles, year of publication, and page numbers for all references. 5.  Include a cover page with:  i. the title, ii. author’s name and grade level, iii. name and address of the author’s high school, iv. the following statement signed by a teacher at the author’s high school: “I [teacher’s name], a teacher of [subject] at [name of the essay author’s school] am aware of [author’s name] participation in the KHREF essay contest and to the best of my knowledge the essay [s/he] submitted represents [her/his] independent work,  v.  the following statements signed by the author:  a.  I did not use generative AI tools to brainstorm, outline, draft, rewrite, summarize sources, generate thesis statements, improve paragraphs, create citations, or in any other way to write my essay and I understand it will likely be checked to confirm that is the case.  b.  Prior to receiving a prize I agree to participate in a Zoom interview with members of KHREF’s board.  c. “I give the Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation permission to publish this essay.”

AWARDS

  Winners will be announced, and awards presented by the end of January 2027.