Submission deadline: March 15, 2016 | Application Information

The American Foreign Service Association’s (AFSA) National High School Essay Contest, now in its 18th year, encourages students to think critically and write a research paper about building peace through diplomacy. New this year is the partnership between AFSA and the United States Institute of Peace, through which we will be offering this year’s contest winners exciting opportunities. We are pleased to continue our partnership with Semester at Sea and the National Student Leadership Conference, offering full scholarships to their programs.

The 2015-2016 contest theme, 'Building Peace through Diplomacy,' challenges students to identify a current threat to U.S. interests abroad and to research and present options via which Foreign Service officers might respond. 

---