The Air & Waste Management Association's (A&WMA) 2010 High School Essay Contest, "Energy and the Environment: Changing our Communities, our Schools, and our World" gives students in grades 9-12 the chance to share their thoughts on environmental issues and to win great prizes. In line with the Association's focus on taking an active role in the global conversation on the environment, this paper is due on Earth Day - Thursday, April 22, 2010.
Students in grades 9th - 12th attending a public, private, parochial school, or home school are eligible to submit. Younger students may participate as 9th graders. This contest is conducted without regard to race, religion, sex, or national origin.
Students should choose ONE of the following subject areas as the focus of their essay: (1) alternative fuels, (2) greenhouse gas management, or (3) fossil fuels. After selecting a subject area, students should discuss how this topic is changing the environment of their community, school or a particular industry. Students are welcome to provide a discussion of real-life examples, current applications, future applications, and/or the state of research on the topic. The essays may be up to six pages in length, including the title page, an abstract, the text, and references.
Click here to download the contest rules.
Essays must be submitted to awmaessay@gmail.com on or before Thursday, April 22, 2010.
The author of the best paper will receive $400 and a certificate. The authors of the winning essay from each grade level will receive $250 and a certificate. Awards will be announced during the Student Awards Ceremony on Thursday, June 24th, at A&WMA's 103rd Annual Conference and Exhibition in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. There is no obligation to attend the award ceremony. Certificates of participation will be mailed to all participants in July 2010. An excerpt from the winning essay will be published in A&WMA's monthly magazine, EM.
For more information, contact Elgina McCoy at elgina.mccoy@basf.com or +1-734-324-6206.
Click here to view the winning paper from 2009!