jfk essay scholarship

Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Getting started.

The 2024 Profile in Courage Essay Contest opens for submissions on September 1, 2023. The contest deadline is January 12, 2024.

Contest Topic and Information

The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation invites U.S. high school students to describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born.

Eligibility and Requirements

The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas.

Recognition and Awards

The first-place winner receives $10,000. Second-place receives $3,000. Five finalists receive $1,000 each. Ten semifinalists receive $100 each. Eight students receive honorable mention.

Past Winning Essays

Read past winning essays to see examples of excellent submissions.

Criteria for Judging

Submissions are evaluated on content (demonstrated understanding of political courage, originality, supporting evidence, source material) and presentation (quality of writing, organization, conventions.) Includes information about disqualifications.

Prepare Your Essay

Resources to help you prepare an excellent essay: Elements of a Strong Essay, Helpful Tips for Writing, Guidelines for Citations and Bibliography, and Criteria for Judging.

Submit Your Essay

The contest opens for submission on September 1st.

Teacher Information and Curriculum Ideas

Frequently asked questions (faq).

Answers to frequently asked questions about the contest topic and requirements, citations and bibliography, the role of the nominating teacher, and more.

Essay Contest Partner: The Boeing Company

The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation gratefully acknowledges Boeing for its generous support of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

In Profiles in Courage , John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. These leaders demonstrated political courage by taking a stand for the public good in spite of pressure by interest groups, their political party, or even their constituents. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage .

Contest Topic: Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917 , the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level.

The contest deadline is January 12, 2024.

Visit the Profile in Courage Essay Contest section of the JFK Library website for more requirements, judging criteria, past winning essays, and additional information.

Registration and Submission

Please read Contest Topic and Information carefully before submitting your essay. Essays must meet   contest requirements to qualify for evaluation.

The Profile in Courage Essay Contest has upgraded its registration and submission technology, and we now use the SurveyMonkey Apply platform. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the Profile in Courage Essay Contest Coordinator.

Important Note: Before contacting the Profile in Courage Essay Contest Coordinator, please be sure to review the contest web pages and read over the FAQ section of the web site.

Email: [email protected]

Sep 1 2023 12:00 AM (EDT)

Jan 12 2024 11:59 pm (est).

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John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

One thing that quickly becomes apparent to high school students preparing for college is the burden of funding a four-year degree. Fortunately for college-bound students, there are numerous ways to reduce the cost of school. One of the most notable methods is pursuing a wide range of scholarships and awards. An award that students with exceptional writing and researching skills should consider is the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest.

About the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

In 1954, John F. Kennedy took a leave of absence from the Senate to recover from back surgery. Kennedy used that time to study the topic of political courage, which inspired him to later write the Pulitzer-Prize winning book Profiles in Courage —detailing the careers of eight Senators whom Kennedy believed demonstrated enormous courage when faced with pressure from their parties and constituents.  

Today, the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest asks students to follow in Kennedy’s footsteps by researching and writing a creative original essay about an elected official who risked their career to take a stand on moral principles. The essay contest serves as a companion project to the Kennedy Library Foundation’s Profile in Courage Award, which honors elected officials who have demonstrated incredible political courage.

The winner of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest receives a $10,000 cash award and is invited to accept their prize at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts during the Profile in Courage Award events—with all travel and lodging expenses paid for. In addition to the award winner, the runner-up will receive a $3,000 award, the five finalists each receive $1,000 awards, and the eight semi-finalists are awarded $100 each.

In addition to the winners, ten students are selected for honorable mention and all participants receive a certificate of participation.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest Applicant Requirements

The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is available to U.S. high school students in grades nine through twelve. Students need to be enrolled in a public, private, parochial, or homeschool high school program in one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., or a U.S. territory. The contest also accepts submissions from U.S. citizens attending school overseas.

How to Apply

In order to participate in the Profile of Courage Essay Contest, students need to be recommended by a teacher who will support and advise the student in the creation of their essay. Nominating teachers can be former or current teachers of the applicant, but must still be still teaching at the school the participant is enrolled in. Rarely, an exception may be made if a student is unable to be nominated by a teacher from their school. For applicants who are homeschooled, the parent or legal guardian can fill the role of a nominating teacher.

An applicant’s essay is required to describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official on the local, state, or national level who served between 1917 (the year of Kennedy’s birth) and the present. Essays need to be an original work of the applicant and fall between 700 and 1,000 words—citations and bibliography do not count toward the word count. Additionally, applicants should cite a minimum of five sources.

John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Edward M. Kennedy, along with the senators featured in Profiles of Courage are not eligible subjects for essays. It’s also recommended to avoid writing about present or past presidents of the United States.

Past winners of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest are not eligible to participate again. Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and their family members are also ineligible for the award.

Tips on Applying For Awards

Don’t Miss Deadlines: Pay close attention to deadlines and don’t wait until the last minute to submit your essay. The Profile in Courage Essay can be submitted via email or traditional mail. If you decide to submit your materials via traditional mail, the application must be postmarked on its due date.

Follow Directions: The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest has specific rules about how many words are allowed, sources needed, what information needs to be included, and how sources should be cited. It would be extremely disappointing to write a winning essay only to be disqualified because you made a mistake like forgetting to include a bibliography.

Proofread: Applicants for the Profile in Courage Essay Contest should work closely with their nominating teacher to ensure that they submit a clean essay free of grammatical, typographical, and spelling errors, along with making sure the essay flows and meets the submission requirements.

Research: In addition to researching for their essay, applicants should research past winners to get an understanding of what a winning essay looks like. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum maintains a list of winners and their essays on their website .  

Professional Appearance: When applying for any distinguished award, there’s a chance that your social media profiles will be looked at. Audit your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter profiles and delete any content that could be potentially damaging. While you’re at it, make sure you have a professional-looking email address to correspond with.

Get Professional Help: CollegeVine helps students win awards. Our expert advisors can provide whatever assistance a student needs, whether it’s staying ahead of deadlines or crafting an exceptional essay.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

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JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Offered by John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Multiple awards worth up to

Grade level.

High School Students

Expected deadline: This scholarship might not currently be accepting applications. Most scholarship programs only accept applications a few months ahead of their annual deadline. We’ve estimated this deadline based on last year’s deadline in order to help you plan out your scholarship applications.

January 2025

Scholarship Overview

Are you a U.S. high school student with a love for U.S. history? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest! Each year, the contest awards up to $10,000 to winning applicants who submit 700 – 1,000 word essays following the year’s prompt. Each year’s prompt relates to U.S. history, with this year’s being: “ Describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born.” The scholarship is offered by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.

If you love U.S. history and want to put your writing skills and history knowledge to the test, we encourage you to apply!

Eligibility information

This scholarship is open to students meeting the below eligibility criteria.

U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents

Political Science

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Application information.

To apply for this scholarship, students must submit an online application in addition to the below application materials. Bear in mind that applicants must also have a “nominating teacher” who are currently teaching at the same high school as the applicant. Nominating teachers are responsible for providing advice and support to the student throughout the application process.

1,000-word essay

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John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Sponsored by: John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

Apply Online

Applicant must fall into one of the following categories: a United States high school student in grade nine through twelve attending a public, private, parochial, or home school; a United States student under the age of 20 enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the United States territories; a United States citizen attending school overseas. An original and creative essay of less than 1,000 words analyzing an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. The first-place recipient will be invited to accept the award at the Profile in Courage Award Ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Contact Information

Esther Kohn Coordinator, Profile in Courage Essay Contest John F. Kennedy Library Foundation Columbia Point Boston, MA 02125 United States

Official website

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Profiles In Courage John F Kennedy Essay

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

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JFK's Very Revealing Harvard Application Essay

At 17 years old, the future president seemed to understand that the value of an elite education is in the status it offers.

John F. Kennedy is one of the most mythologized figures in contemporary American history. At age 17, though, he was just a kid trying to get into college (a kid with a wealthy, famous father, of course).

The Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has a digitized version of Kennedy's 1935 Harvard application, which includes his grades and his response to the essay prompt, "Why do you wish to come to Harvard?" Here's how the future president answered:

The reasons that I have for wishing to go to Harvard are several. I feel that Harvard can give me a better background and a better liberal education than any other university. I have always wanted to go there, as I have felt that it is not just another college , but is a university with something definite to offer. Then too, I would like to go to the same college as my father. To be a "Harvard man" is an enviable distinction, and one that I sincerely hope I shall attain. April 23, 1935 John F. Kennedy

Business Insider dismisses the essay for being five sentences long (I'm not sure how much more he could have written given the space) and implies that his answer wasn't carefully considered. That's probably true—Kennedy's grades show that he wasn't an especially good student in high school, and there's not much evidence that he took his education seriously at this point in his life. Plus, as Gawker points out , Kennedy wrote nearly exactly the same essay for his Princeton application.

Still, Kennedy's essay shows a profound, if implicit, understanding of the primary value of attending an elite school: status and personal connections, rather than mastery of academic skills and knowledge. Notice that he only makes one mention of the education he'd receive at Harvard—a passing reference to the school's superior "liberal education." The rest of the paragraph focuses on the the non-academic benefits: having a "better background," sharing the same alma mater with his dad, and enjoying the "enviable distinction" of being a Harvard Man.

And it is, indeed, an enviable distinction. Harvard has produced eight United States presidents, more than any other school. The school's website has a whole section devoted to all the alumni who've won Nobel prizes. Two of its dropouts are among the richest people in America. Whether these glories are due to the school's excellent education or its impressive alumni network and name recognition, who knows? But Kennedy clearly thought he knew the answer.

2022 Scholarship Recipients

 2022 Essay Winner Sadie LaBonte and Museum Executive Director Wendy Northcross

2022 Essay Winner Etzer Lindor The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation awarded two 2022 essay winners, who each received $2,500 scholarships. Sadie LaBonte of Sandwich, a Barnstable High School student and Etzer Lindor, of South Dennis, a Cape Cod Technical High School student were selected from over a dozen submissions. The Museum Foundation presents the scholarships to students based on essays that illuminate President Kennedy’s famous inaugural quote: “And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” High school seniors shared their personal interpretation of the quote, relating it to their civic engagement experiences, including how those opportunities helped them to become better citizens. “The selection committee was so inspired by the stories of successfully overcoming challenges that Ms. LaBonte’s and Mr. Lindor’s essays rose to the top,” said Anne-Marie Litchfield, foundation vice-chair, and member of the review committee. “They give us great hope for the future,” she said. “Scholarship funds were generated by donations of visitors to the museum and a gift made by a generous donor, said Wendy Northcross, executive director. “We are very pleased to have restored this important program,” she said. The essays are shared on www.jfkhyannismuseum.org. The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation preserves and promotes the legacy of President Kennedy, his family, and their deep connection to Cape Cod. The museum located at 397 Main Street is open year ’round. ****

Scholarship essay by etzer lindor.

“ And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. ” – President John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961

John F. Kennedy’s inaugural quote serves as a reminder that we must not focus solely on our own interests, but also on how we can benefit the lives of others. Our world functions best when it operates interdependently. So, it is in our collective interest to provide a helping hand to one another, because as a society, we cannot thrive without each other.

Since the beginning of my freshman year, I have been blessed to be involved in SkillsUSA, a student-led organization that promotes leadership and service among its members. As president of my chapter and head of the leadership committee, I have had the privilege of working alongside my local Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army chapters to raise over $2,500 for our community, as well as donating 15 bicycles to children living in Habitat homes. I’ve also had the unique opportunity to become affiliated with the Be Like Brit Foundation, an organization committed to providing food and education to the children of my home country of Haiti.

The work I do in my community is meaningful to me because it allows me to step outside of my own world and become an agent of change in someone else’s. Although my journey as a high school student will soon come to a close, my devotion to my community persists, because it is only by continuing to ask what I can do for others that I can truly fulfill my promise to make a positive difference in this world.

Etzer Lindor March 31, 2022

Scholarship Essay by Sadie LaBonte

“ And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country ”- President John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy spoke to America during a time of tremendous social unrest. The Civil Rights Movement was at a fever pitch and war was the word of the day: The Cold War, the Nuclear Arms War, the Vietnam War. Americans were jaded but they felt hope had come with their new, young president. JFK’s inaugural speech was meant to inspire everyday Americans to have compassion for their neighbors. With a fresh face and ideals aimed at a new generation, Kennedy appealed to people to live their lives in a new way. Today his words seem as relevant as they ever have been. With Russia invading Ukraine and threatening the use of hypersonic missiles, turmoil over race relations, and deep political divisions polarizing the country it‘s hard to see how 2022 is different from 1961.

With such struggle in the world it’s hard to know where to find neighborly compassion. A place where I have felt community is Cotuit Center for the Arts. I have volunteered there for years and have met and worked with kids struggling with depression, adults with disabilities and senior citizens coping with loss and loneliness. For these people the Center is a place where they can find hope.

I have been inspired by my time at the Center and plan to earn a masters degree in psychology. My focus is on the accessibility of mental health for all. Connection between people is necessary for the good of a population. I feel that I can connect with people through a career in therapy and in that way I am doing exactly what JFK asked us to consider in his infamous speech- to do what I can for my community and country.

Sadie LaBonte March 18, 2022