In a few days we will open the online submission form.  Check back for more information about online submissions.

Privacy: Personal information provided by entrants will be used by Oakseed Ministries for contest purposes only and will not be shared or used for solicitation purposes.

Receipt Deadline

Essays must be submitted by 11:59pm local time on May 1, 2010.

How to Submit Your Essay by Mail

To submit your essay by mail, include the following two parts.

Part One: A Personal Information Form

Use a cover page to provide the following information:

Your name
Your date of birth
Home address, City, State, Postal Code, Country
Home telephone number
Email address
School’s name (or specify home school)
Grade level (or equivalent)
Parent’s or guardian’s name (For age category 17 & under)

Include the following statement with your Personal Information Form:

I ____(your name)_____ am submitting an original essay to Oakseed Ministries. I certify that this essay is my own work. I understand that my essay will not be returned to me and will become the property of Oakseed Ministries to use at its discretion in activities related to furthering a compassionate response to the issue of child imprisonment. I further understand that the judges’ decisions are final.

Part Two: Submit two copies of your essay

Send your Personal Information Form and two copies of your essay to:

Essay Contest
Oakseed Ministries International
PO Box 607
Dunn Loring, VA 22027

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Topic Selection

The following topics focus on different facets of this complex issue. Participants should choose one and write an essay exploring this specific aspect and how it relates to their understanding of compassion. (Note: Essays will be disqualified if they do not address the issue of compassion.)

Alternatives to Prison

72% of child prisoners are re-convicted within two years of their release. Almost half of these children return to prison. (Goldson) Imprisonment is not always effective in preventing future crime. Children who are broken enough to commit crimes can find restoration through alternative programs. What alternatives to prison have been proposed or implemented? How successful have they been? What are other alternatives?

Child Rights

“Prior to the 20th century, children were for the most part regarded as inferior and subordinate to adults.” (UN DPI) Even though that viewpoint is changing, children are still deprived of their basic human rights. Many children are robbed of a voice and cannot defend themselves. They are put into prison with little evidence, or they may wait years to receive a trial. What rights do children have? What rights should they have and on what basis? Is anybody doing something about this?

Social Preventative Measures

Some children are imprisoned because of crimes committed for survival. For example, if a child is caught with a loaf of stolen bread, it is a theft. What if the theft was to feed his little sick brother? Perhaps if the child’s needs were provided for initially, he would not have been forced to steal. What are some ways that social reform can help prevent child crime?

Family Outside Prison

When a child is in prison, the entire family often suffers with the child. The family is fragmented, and grieves the absence of one of its own. How can a family cope with a child in prison? What can they do to help the child? What can be done to assist the suffering relatives?

Educational Issues

Children in prison have little or no access to educational resources. What are the minimum resources prisons should provide for the education of an imprisoned child? Are there any good models that address this concern?

Heroes of Compassion

Who are some heroes of compassion for imprisoned children? Write about someone who has made advances on behalf of these children. What was his or her most significant achievement? How did he or she bring about change?

A Worldwide Problem

Compare the problem of the imprisoned child in the USA to that found in the developing world. How can these problems be resolved? What is the status of public awareness of this issue?

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FOR THE 2010 ESSAY CONTEST

“COMPASSION AND THE IMPRISONED CHILD”

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to submit an essay, students must meet the age requirements as of May 1, 2010.  You may submit only ONE essay.

Age Categories

17 & under : 5,000 characters or less (approx. 1000 words in length).
18-22 : 7,500 characters or less (approx. 1500 words in length).

Essay Format

The essay must be an original, unpublished work.

Essays may be written in the formal or informal voice, but most importantly, an individual perspective should be present within the essay.

Sources are to be cited in the text. Do not use footnotes or endnotes. You do not need to provide a bibliography.

Essays should be typed in 12-point font, double-spaced with 1″ margins. On the lower right corner of your last page enter your word count. Your name must not appear on the essay pages, only on the cover sheet.

Entries not meeting these submission guidelines will be automatically disqualified. Entries will not be returned and must be postmarked by May 1, 2010.

Awards and Recognition

$1,000 will be awarded to the author of the best essay in each of the two age categories. Second place essays will receive $500 award and Honorable mention will receive $250 award. The winners will be notified in June 2010 and the select winning essays posted on internet at http://essay.oakseed.org

Essay Evaluation Criteria

Each essay should:

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the issues surrounding children in prison and the implications for society.
• Show the author has personally wrestled with the nature and character of compassion.
• Demonstrate the student’s own serious reflection on the current and future problems facing children in prison.
• Be focused and well reasoned.
• Use correct spelling and grammar.

All entries will be judged, according to age category, using the following criteria:

Awareness of the problem (1/3 total score)

Demonstrate knowledge and a depth of understanding about the issue from your research.

Quality of the analysis (1/3 total score)

Develop your own perspective of the issue. This perspective should be reflected in your analysis of the issue and your personal response to it.

Style and mechanics (1/3 total score)

Use proper spelling and grammar.  Your response to the topic should be clear and original.

Content Reviewers

These judges and essay readers are from outside the staff of Oakseed Ministries will identify the essays that best meet the above criteria. The highest rated essays will go on to a second round of judging by a team of judges who will select the semi-finalists. The prize-winning essays will then be selected by the directors of Oakseed Ministries. All decisions are final.

Foreign Language Submissions

Essays may also be submitted in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Chinese.  See the following essay submission guidelines page for more information on other languages.

Essay Contest Topics

Read more about the essay contest topics on this post.

I have closed the comments, because it is getting difficult for participants to find answers. I have now transferred the comments into the forum located here.  If you have questions about the the essay contest, please use the forums.

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