18^th Annual TWI Ethics Essay Contest

Sponsored by The Williams Institute (TWI), a nonprofit organization promoting ethics in community

Announcement and Contest Rules

The World Around Us and My Personal Responsibility

"The relationship between human rights and human development, corporate power and environmental justice, global poverty and citizen action, suggest that responsible global citizenship is an inescapable element of what may at first glance seem to be simply matters of personal consumer and moral choice." Blewitt, J. (2008). Understanding Sustainable Development. London: Earthscan

18^th Annual Ethics Essay Contest Prompt

Pick a problem related to sustainability that you see affecting people and the world around us. Reflect on how it relates to TWI’s view of ethics by addressing each of the essay components in your writing.

• Illustrate your chosen problem, showing why it is a problem and for whom or what it is a problem.
• Select and describe what you feel is a meaningful solution to the problem you chose.
• Demonstrate you have considered the effects, both positive and negative, of your proposed solution.
• Describe your understanding of the impact your solution will have on those affected.
• Demonstrate you understand what impact your solution will have on the environment.
• What action(s) can you personally take BOTH now to support your solution, and in the future to support your solution? (personal action component will be weighted more)

You may answer these questions in any order that allows your essay to flow smoothly.

Essay Contest Rules:

WHO: Open to all students enrolled in an 11^th or 12^th grade class at participating high schools

WHEN: Essay must be submitted online to The Williams Institute on or before the contest

deadline: Friday, December 16, 2011. (Start date for submissions is Nov. 10, 2011)

WHERE: Submit essay at www.ethics-twi.org. Look for Essay Contest in navigation bar.

HOW: Contest rules for eligibility:

• Essay must be 600-800 words in length.
• Essay must respond to all of the components of the prompt.
• Essay must be the independent work of the student.
• Essay must be submitted as Microsoft Word 97-2003 document. (Word 2007 use ”save as”)

CRITERIA: Essays will be judged on the basis of a thorough and well-organized response to all prompt components and the ability to explore and discuss the ideas and ethical concepts that support his/her position. No particular ethical perspective will be imposed on the entrants, so students are encouraged to express themselves freely. Judging will be conducted in two parts by a committee of community leaders: (1) judging the written essays, narrowing the competition to three finalists for each grade level (11^th and 12^th) at each school, (2) conducting interviews with the finalists to better understand each student’s perspective.

CONTEST PRIZES: A total of two cash scholarships of $500.00 will be awarded at each participating eligible high school, one to each student whose essay is selected for top honors at each grade level (11^th or 12^th).