The 2024 MLK ESSAY CONTEST is open to High School seniors attending Arlington schools or residing within Arlington city limits. The winning essay writers will be awarded scholarships to help defray the cost of college tuition and books.

First Place — $1,000 Scholarship
Second Place — $750 Scholarship
Third Place — $500 Scholarship

Essay Contest Rules:

  1. Submission deadline: 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, 2023
  2. Theme: Advancing the Dream: A Path Forward to Impact Change Across Generations
  3. One essay submission per student. Essays must be original, typed, double-spaced and must not exceed 1,500 words.
  4. All essay submissions MUST include a completed, signed entry form. 
  5. The content of each essay submission should include a minimum of two to three strategies/ideas that describe how all generations can apply the ideology of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to move society forward toward positive change.
  6. Essay submissions should be sent to [email protected] and will only be accepted in Adobe Portable Document (.pdf) format. 
  7. Essays will be judged on the basis of organization, content, voice, creativity and grammatical structure. 
  8. For questions/more information, please contact Lisa Fields (Chairperson - MLK Essay Contest) at [email protected]

Winners will be notified in December and formally recognized as part of the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

Click here for ENTRY FORM.