During the current COVID19 Pandemic, there have been many changes and events that have influenced our society, our communities, and ourselves as individuals. As students, you have experienced many changes to your daily life, and have witnessed historic events of political, economic, scientific, and social importance. This unprecedented time has unveiled increasing levels of scapegoating of minority groups and bigotry worldwide. Scapegoating is when a person or group is made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place (dictionary.com). Bigotry is the stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own (dictionary.com). Regarding this increase:
Reflect on your own experiences of the past several months: What changes do you see in your life, your community, and our society as a whole? What reactions or responses have you seen, or would have liked to have seen? What is your source for hope, what makes you resilient, and what makes a community resilient?
Essays should follow these guidelines:
- 12 point font, 1 inch margins
- Maximum two pages, single or double spaced
- DO NOT WRITE YOUR NAME ON or IN YOUR ESSAY, as this will compromise scoring by judges (we have your information in your application; your name could be grounds for disqualification).
- PLEASE include a proper email address, home address, and contact information, as well as the name of your school and teacher (if applicable)