High School Essay Contest

Presented by Pacific Union College

For upcoming dates or more information about this contest email pr@puc.edu.

Emerging Voices of the Pacific Union 2025

Sponsor

Pacific Union College English Department

Eligibility

The contest is open to students currently in grades 9 through 12 (as of March 2025) attending a Seventh-day Adventist academy or junior academy in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada or Utah.

Submissions

The essay contest begins on March 10, 2025 and the submission deadline (i.e., the last day on which essays will be accepted) is April 17, 2025.

• Essays must respond to this prompt:  “Write about an insignificant object that you find significant.”
• Essays must be typed and submitted as a PDF (.pdf)
• Essays must total 500 – 750 words

Essay Submission

Only one essay may be submitted per student. All essays must be submitted via email to: EmergingVoicesEssayContest@puc.edu on or before the submission deadline of April 17, 2025. Hard-copy or late submissions will not be accepted. 

Entry should include:

• Your first and last name
• The full name of the academy or junior academy you currently attend.
• Your current grade (9, 10, 11 or 12)
• The name(s) of your English or Language Arts teacher(s)
• Your email address
• Your T-Shirt Size

Scoring of Qualifying Submissions:

The essays will be judged by professors of the Pacific Union College English department. Their decisions will be final. 

Grounds for Disqualification

Submitting an essay that

• Does not comply with these contest rules;
• Is not the student’s original, authored work;
• Provides fake entry information; or
• Plagiarizes content.

All decisions of disqualification will be final.

Recognition

Winners will be announced in an email to all secondary English teachers at academies and junior academies in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah on or before May 2, 2025, as well as shared with the Pacific Union Recorder for potential future publication.

Contest Prizes

• First place: $500 cash + $1,000 scholarship
• Second place: $300 cash + $1,000 scholarship
• Third place: $200 cash + $1,000 scholarship

License to Use Essays, Names, and Photographs

Winners will be required to submit a release allowing Pacific Union College to publish their essays in print or on our website. In addition, winners will be asked to provide and authorize use of photographs of themselves for possible use in potential promotion of future essay contests. Winners must also provide a W9 form to receive cash prizes.

Congratulations to our second annual (2024) winners!

• 1st place: Colin Russ, PUC Preparatory School (12th Grade) 
• 2nd place: Natalie Tio, Pine Hills Adventist Academy (11th Grade) 
• 3rd place: Kara Wibberding, PUC Preparatory School (11th Grade)

Finalists

• Charlene Lapuebla, Armona Union Academy (12th Grade)
• Brooke Fernander, Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy (11th Grade)
• Brisa Ramos, Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy (10th Grade) 
• Jordyn Butler, Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy (10th Grade) 
• Stacie Dassie, Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy (10th Grade) 
• Emily Escamilla, Pine Hills Adventist Academy (9th Grade)
• Kenneth Mamon, Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy (9th Grade)