The John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Essay Contest asks students to explore the meaning of courage through the lens of U.S. political history and rhetoric. As students question the obstacles and risks of political courage, they get the chance to draw from excerpts from JFK’s iconic book, Profiles in Courage, published in 1956. The essay contest asks writers to not only examine JFK’s political impact on America but allows them to analyze the challenges of political, moral, and social responsibility in a democratic republic. 

Every year, the JFK contest introduces a new topic, encouraging high school students (grades 9-12) to write a 700 to 1,000-word essay that addresses the prompt from a unique point of view. As the contest looks for an understanding of the topic, supporting research, and originality, young writers can expand their political knowledge as they build strong, logical arguments. A successful JFK essay, however, is more than a persuasive essay—it is a thoughtful, convincing paper that tells a story from American political history that has never been told before. 

The J&B consulting team works with students to ensure that their unique interests, ideas, and logic are creatively represented in a high-quality paper. By engaging in deep brainstorming sessions with J&B consultants, students emerge ready to examine the nature of political courage—with conviction and courage of their own. 

https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/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.