Contest Description
The 2026 Essay Contest Topic is:
Describe a moment in your time with Key Club when you chose to empower someone else instead of taking the spotlight. How did "lifting" that person change your perspective on what it means to be a successful leader, and what challenge and personal growth resulted from that experience?
Contest Rules
The Essay Contest is a District contest. There is no Key Club International Essay Contest.
The theme for the 2026 Essay Contest is listed above.
The subject matter of the essay and the writing must be original and completely developed by each essayist.Â
The essay must be typed (Times New Roman, size 12), double spaced, no more than two pages (8.5x11). Essays must be uploaded as a PDF file, a Word Document, or a Google Document.
The submitted essay must be the original work of the Key Club member. Content generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not be accepted.
Each essayist must be an official member in good standing with Key Club International.
Judging and awarding points will be based on the following criteria:
Clarity and depth of message - 50 Points
Originality - 25 Points
Structure (including organization, grammar, transitions, flow, etc.) - 25 Points
Essayists will receive first, second, and third place awards. The first place essay will be published in an issue of The YanKey during the next year.
The decision of the judges is final and no changes, alterations or regradings will take place after the results have been certified by the judges of this contest.Â
All entries must include a completed Entry Form and be submitted via the online submission form below by March 1, 2026.
Submission Options
Upload your essay no later than March 1, 2026 on the Online Submission Form.
Due Date
Sunday, March 1, 2026