About The Award
Submissions Open
July 21st, 2025
Submission Deadline
November 2nd, 2025
Shortlist Announcement
January 5th, 2026
Result Announcement
January 18th, 2026
At Lumiere Education, we believe that curiosity drives progress. When young scholars are given the chance to ask bold questions, gather evidence, and share what they discover, they sharpen their thinking, improve their communication, and create ideas that can move society forward.
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The Lumiere Scholars Essay Award invites high school students to examine issues that matter to them, cross disciplinary lines, test assumptions, and defend their arguments with rigorous evidence. Essay entries are reviewed by our Academic Advisory Committee, an international panel of distinguished professors and researchers.
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6 winners from 3 categories (Humanities, STEM, and Social Sciences) will receive a total of $20,000 in cash prizes and scholarships.
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Free to enter and open worldwide, the award celebrates rising thinkers, sparks dialogue about the ideas shaping our future, and continues Lumiere's mission of empowering the next generation of researchers.
2025 Awards
2nd place
(1 recipient for
each category)
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$500 cash award
$2000 Scholarship to Lumiere's Individual Research Program
1st Place
(1 recipient for
each category)
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$1000 cash award​​
Full Scholarship to Lumiere's Individual Research Program worth $3,190
Rising Scholars
$1,000 Scholarship to Lumiere's Individual Scholar Program
Advisory Committee and Judging Panel
​Dr. Sergii Strelchuk
Associate Professor, University​ of Oxford
​Dr. Charles Walcott
Professor Emeritus, Cornell University​
​Dr. Shana Cohen
Affiliated Lecturer, University​ of Cambridge
​Dr. Andrew Simon
Senior Lecturer, Dartmouth University​
​Dr. Brenda Rubenstein
Associate Professor, Brown University​
​Dr. James Garbarino
Professor Emeritus, Cornell University​
​Dr. Justin Tyler Clark
Senior Lecturer, Cornell University ​
​Dr. Samir Soneji
Principal Biostatistician, Duke University​
​Dr. Mauricio Fernandez Duque
Lecturer, Dartmouth College
​Dr. Robert Lyon
Associate Professor, New York University​
​Dr. Nick Pretnar
Adjunct Professor, Carnegie Mellon University​
​Dr. Kimberly Rose Clark
Lecturer, Dartmouth College
2025 Essay Prompts
Participants can choose ONE of the following prompts.
— Humanities —
Humanities Prompt #1
How should societies determine which past injustices deserve apologies and reparations from the state?​
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Professor Commentary:
Many societies have witnessed dark episodes in their history, whether in recent years, or many decades or even centuries ago. Some of those episodes, such as racial segregation in the United States, have injured both those who can remember living through them, as well as their descendants. Such episodes have prompted calls for reparations, sometimes even on the part of governments that did not exist when the injury occurred. On the other hand, many other episodes – for instance, the widespread confiscation of Loyalist property during the American Revolution – have not led to such calls. Thus, we might wonder what makes a call for reparations urgent: the recency of the injury, the lingering of its effects, the nature of the harm, or some other factor?
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Justin Clark
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Andrew Simon
Humanities Prompt #2
How might popular culture reshape our understanding of the world around us?​​
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Professor Commentary:
Often reduced to a form of entertainment, popular culture productions have the potential to significantly alter our understanding of the present as well as the past. In addition to reflecting broader political, social, and economic changes, films, songs, and other creative labors impact our perception of the world around us. What might we gain by approaching popular culture in a critical and creative manner? How might cultural productions shed new light on phenomena that, at first glance, might have little to do with culture, such as the forging of identities, the production of power, and the construction of gender? And what is the future of popular culture as a subject of study?
— Social Science —
Social Sciences Prompt #1
What kinds of social problems are chatbots good at solving, and what kinds of social problems are they bad at solving?
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Professor Commentary:
This is a pressing question, and the technology is at an early enough stage that we do not have good evidence on this question. Use your knowledge of the technology behind chatbots to argue your case.
Prompt contributed by
​Dr. Mauricio Duque
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Andrew Simon
Social Sciences Prompt #2
What is the future of social media as a tool to challenge those in positions of power?​
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Professor Commentary:
Since the Arab Spring, when people across the Middle East mobilized to oppose repressive regimes, popular perceptions of social media sites seem to have shifted. Once a tool harnessed by individuals to circumvent censorship, circulate information, and challenge those in positions of power, the same platforms are now utilized by others to silence criticism, spread misinformation, and consolidate control. Is social media still capable of assisting those striving to bring about positive change around the world? Is the internet today fundamentally different than it was 15 years ago? And what is the future of Facebook, TikTok, and other digital networks?
— STEM —
STEM Prompt #1
How do modern internet-based social media affect adolescent emotional and social development?
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Professor Commentary:
In recent decades, scholars and mental health professionals have raised concerns that modern social media create new challenges for the mental health of adolescents. Social isolation, depersonalization, and other long-term issues facing youth around the modern world are taking place in a new social landscape created by internet-based social media.
Prompt contributed by
​Dr. James Garbarino
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Sergii Strelchuk
STEM Prompt #2
What can be accomplished with a million noiseless qubits?​
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Professor Commentary:
Quantum computing is poised to revolutionize fields hamstrung by problems that classical computers cannot solve. This potential has sparked massive investment into a single goal: creating scalable quantum computers with millions of flawless qubits. Looking beyond the horizon, what unforeseen applications could a device of this magnitude unlock?
Submission Deadline: Novermber 2nd, 2025
Judging Criteria
​At Lumiere, ​essays are evaluated with our proprietary rubric. The judging panel comprises esteemed professors and researchers from Oxford, Cambridge, Brown, Dartmouth, and Cornell, engaging in a double-blind review process. Our system is designed to eliminate biases related to an author’s identity, affiliation, or reputation.​
The strongest essays show intellectual independence and persuasive arguments that can change a thoughtful reader’s mind. Submissions that ignore major counterarguments or fail to engage meaningfully with opposing perspectives are unlikely to succeed.
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The award seeks well-reasoned, research-based argumentative essays rather than original research papers. ​​Participants are not expected to perform primary data collection or advanced data analysis to submit.
Originality
A distinct viewpoint and fresh insights
Analysis
A thorough understanding of the subject, supported by strong arguments.
Evidence
Well-substantiated arguments using credible, integrated sources.
Structure
Logical organization, clear progression of ideas, and smooth transitions.
Presentation
Meticulously edited, formal, grammatically correct, and precisely worded academic writing.
Guidelines & Eligibility
General Guidelines
Free entry
There are no fees required to enter this essay award. It is open to all eligible participants without cost.​
Single Submission
Participants may submit only one essay.​
Original Scholarship & Sole Authorship​
1. Each essay must be the original work of the participant.
2. While participants may seek feedback or engage in discussion, the writing must be conducted entirely by the student. No joint or collaborative submission is permitted.
3. The use of external writing services is strictly prohibited.​
Academic Integrity​
1. Plagiarism in any form will result in disqualification.
2. All referenced material must be appropriately cited, and essays must reflect the participant’s original thought and expression.
3. Each participant must provide the email address of an academic referee who is acquainted with their academic work (a school teacher or counselor). Lumiere may contact referees directly to confirm the authenticity and originality of the submitted essays.
Format & Style
Language​
Essays must be in English.​
Academic​
Essays must be academic and use formal language. Students may not use personal anecdotes to substantiate their arguments. ​​
The award seeks well-reasoned, research-based argumentative essays rather than original research papers. ​​Participants are not expected to perform primary data collection or advanced data analysis to submit.
Word Limit​
Essays must not exceed 2,000 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography.​
Citation Format
Essays must follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) 8th edition citation style.
For further reference, please consult this MLA 8 citation guide.​​​​
Eligibility
The competition is open to all students from any country who will be enrolled in high school (as of December 31, 2025). The submission must be in English and not exceed 2,000 words.
Current scholars or alums of the Lumiere Scholar Research Programs are welcome to apply, but may not submit their Lumiere final paper.​
Submission Deadline: November 2nd, 2025
Frequently asked questions
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