Essay Prompts

1. What will our future look like with the rise of AI?
   In a world increasingly shaped by technological advancements, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) looms large on the horizon. Its strikingly constant evolution brings changes and developments that can be as unprecedented as they are innovative.
   
   Envision the potential landscapes that you envision AI to be constructing 50 years from now and their impact on the upcoming generation. For instance, how will AI redefine education, alter career trajectories, or influence societal structures in ways that we have yet to witness? What ethical dilemmas will we need to address as AI continues to advance?
   
   In a narrative or argumentative essay, delve into your insights, theories, and predictions regarding AI's future role and its effects on youths and students driving technological progress.
   

2. What criteria should be used in awarding scholarships for universities/colleges?

   Most people seeking postsecondary education, potentially some of the individuals in your life, are familiar with the idea of scholarships. However, with thousands of students across Canada applying for these limited opportunities, how should candidates actually be chosen?

   Historically, academic achievements were the primary criterion. However, modern scholarships like the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award or the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership prioritize students’ global contributions through extracurricular activities.

   Place yourself in the shoes of a scholarship officer. What factor(s) do you think takes precedence? Construct your introduction, justifications, and conclusion within a 500 word argumentative essay.
   

3. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself entering into high school?
   
   As the saying goes, “If only I knew then what I know now”. It’s a given that every person is experiencing life for the very first time, but what if you could have a redo of sorts?
   
   Consider lessons you wish you could have learned earlier, things you wish you had or hadn’t said, or decisions you wish you would or wouldn’t have made. Perhaps there are insights that you have gathered that you wish you had sooner. Or, you might consider what your past self needed to hear, whether it be the academic, personal or social aspects of your life.
   
   In a personal or narrative essay, express what you wish you would have known from your very first day of high school.

Essay Guidelines

Eligibility: This contest is only open to Canadian secondary school students.

Essay Guidelines:

• Craft an essay in response to one of the three given prompts

• Word count: 500 - 700 words

• Times New Roman; font size 12

• MLA or APA accepted (optional)

• Double spaced

• Include a title page with your name, grade and school

Submissions.

Submit your writing here: Canadian Student Voices Essay Competition Submission

Judging Criteria.

A panel of judges will assess work based on the following criteria:

• Structure

• Arguments

• Creativity & Originality

• Use of Language

Important Dates.

April 1st, 2024: Submission Period Opens

May 12th, 2024: Submission period closes

Late-May to Early June: Winners Announced

If you have any questions, feel free to contact harmony.chen@fcss-fesc.ca

Past Winners.

The winning submission in the 2021 Beyond the Page essay contest was Jacqueline Chen, a Grade 11 student in the TOPS Program at Toronto's Bloor Collegiate Institute. Read her article, When Exercise Was Taking Over My Life, This Is How I Forged a New Perspective, published in CBC News here.

Runners up.

What 2020 Had in Store for the World by Elaine Nie

Online Learning in The World of COVID-19: A Blessing and A Curse by Christina Li

Learning Virtually: A Global Pandemic Dilemma by Irham Khimji

Redefining Education During a Pandemic by Hamidah Moyosoreoluwa Oderinwale