10 Technology and Society Essay Competitions for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Middle schoolers with early interest in technological advancements and their impact on society can benefit from participating in essay contests which focus on these subject areas. The rigors of writing demand students to dig deep into specific topics, review existing studies, and come up with original perspectives of their own. In the process, participants also develop critical writing skills and learn to fine-tune their arguments. Writing guides, workshops, and webinars hosted by organisers also help you in improving your vocabulary, grammar, and more!
Participating in essay contests focused on technology and society also gives you the chance to showcase your work to established researchers and public figures from the field. Winners also gain cash prizes, scholarships, publication opportunities, in addition to the chance of networking with leading experts and talented peers.
Here’s a list of 10 Technology & Society Essay Contests for middle school students:
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: March 9 - May 17
Submission Deadline: April 26
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The Junior Scholars Essay Contest is organised annually by Lumiere Education and is open to middle school students across the globe. From the future of space exploration to the morality of patenting scientific inventions, the contest’s challenging list of essay prompts offers students the chance to engage with questions concerning society and technology. Essays are judged on the basis of originality, analytical rigour, credibility of the evidence cited, and writing structure. Judges look for fresh perspectives and a deference to submission guidelines.
The judging panel and the Academic Advisory Committee comprises leading researchers from the best universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Columbia, Brown and Dartmouth. A total of six winners (One Gold winner, two Silver winners, and three Bronze winners) share cash prizes totaling up to $11,000 along with exciting scholarships.
Cost/Stipend: Free (Extra fee for late submissions, as mentioned here.)
Dates: February 2 - October 3
Application Deadline: March 31 (Registration), May 31 (Submission)
Eligibility: Students aged under 15 (Junior Category)
The John Locke Institute’s Global Essay Prize invites middle school students below 19 years of age to respond to the list of questions displayed on the contest’s website. You are presented with a chance to dig deep into subjects such as law, philosophy, politics, theology, science & technology, psychology, and more! Fresh & original ideas, argumentation skills, persuasion, writing structure and style are key indicators of a good performance!
With researchers from Ivy League universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford in the judging panel, the contest also gives you a chance to be appraised by established academics. Three junior winners from each category win scholarships up to $5,000 against the cost of attending any John Locke Institute program. Additionally, the sole Grand Prize winner gains a similar scholarship worth $10,000 along with an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship!
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: March 4 - April 30
Application Deadline: April 30 (Submission Deadline)
Eligibility: Commonwealth nationals or residents aged 18 or below.
Royal Commonwealth Society’s annual Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition invites commonwealth nationals or residents aged 18 years or below to submit essays based on its annual list of prompts, with topics ranging from sports & culture to the environment. In a departure from the general norm, you have the liberty of submitting any piece of writing, including a poem, letter, article, story, essay, or a short play/script.
Each Commonwealth region (The Americas, The Pacific, Asia, Africa and Europe) selects its own winner. A sole winner among the best live is separately recognised by the judging panel. If you win, you will be invited to travel to London for an in-person award ceremony and a week-long programme of cultural activities.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: January 15 - July 31
Application Deadline: May 10 (Submission Deadline)
Eligibility: Students aged 11-13 (Junior Division)
The Cambridge Re-Think Essay Competition is a highly competitive writing contest, where middle schoolers aged between 11 and 13 participate in the Junior Division. From dietary choices & animal rights to fairness in schools and vaccine morality, you are granted the chance to dig deep into contentious debates prevalent in today’s society. Essays are judged on the basis of originality of ideas, quality of argumentation, writing skills and an inclusive engagement with the chosen subject.
Your submissions will be assessed by a judging panel composed of researchers from top universities like Cambridge, MIT, Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford. In 2025, only 33 of the 13,000 participants were adjudged as winners, with 1,300 others receiving Honorable Mentions. Award winners are also invited to an in-person event that also acts as a networking dinner with experts, like-minded peers and the contest’s organisers.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Feb 25 - July 1
Application Deadline: April 8
Eligibility: Students aged 13-19
New York Times’ Open Letters is a writing contest that also serves as a training ground for advocacy. Each year, enterprising middle and high school students submit public-facing letters about pressing issues plaguing today’s world. You are expected to pen a letter addressed to a defined audience with a clear call-to-action, in less than 500 words. Judges look for a focus on advocacy, persuasion, quality of commentary, overall curation, and language.
The judging panel includes New York Times journalists, giving you the chance to test your mettle before established public commentators and reporters. Winners win the chance to have their submissions published on the prestigious New York Times’ website and other online platforms, with a potential opportunity to also be published in the print editions.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Typically between May and June
Application Deadline: 1 May (Local Section Contest), 15 May (National Contest)
Eligibility: Students in Grades 7-8
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’s Middle School Essay Contest invites 7th and 8th graders to explore questions concerning astronomy and space systems. In 1000 words or less, you will be expected to submit an essay in response to the detailed prompt published on the contest’s website. Essays are judged on the basis of originality of ideas, soundness of logic, realism of ideas, quality of composition, and clarity of expression.
Students must contact their local section officers to register their entry in the contest. Regional winners are invited to participate in the National Contest, where the best 3 essayists share cash prizes totaling up to $250. Winners are also featured in the Fall issue of the American Aerospace magazine.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Depending on the competition.
Application Deadline: Depends on the competition.
Eligibility: Students aged 13-19
Write The World organises monthly writing contests for teenagers aged between 13 and 19, delving into forms ranging from poetry and screenwriting to essays and fiction-writing. Contests related to Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fiction, Environmental Writing, Science Writing, and Climate Change Writing, among others, may specifically interest students focused on technology and society. Other contests such as Memoir writing and Personal Essay also offer the opportunity to write essays that are more reflective.
Every competition invites a distinguished writer to serve as the judge, allowing participants to be vetted by an expert from the sub-field. Winners share cash prizes worth $200, in addition to in-kind rewards.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: To be specified
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: Students aged 14 or below
Minds Underground organises multiple essay competitions inviting middle school students across the globe to engage with challenging prompts. For instance, in the STEM Invention Challenge, you are expected to write about an invention that can change global problems like poverty or climate change. Students must focus on adopting a creative approach and a solid writing structure. Both fiction and non-fiction entries are accepted.
For each competition, students aged between 8-11 and 12-14 are assessed separately. Winners win tuition vouchers and are invited to an award ceremony at Oxford University. Other honorable mentions are also felicitated through certificates and a chance to be featured on Minds Underground’s official website.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Typically between November and February
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Students in Grades 6-12 and Undergraduates
The annual Student Essay Contest by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and Math For America aims to spread awareness about the contributions and achievements of women in mathematics. You will be expected to pen an essay based on your interview with a woman, or an individual from an underrepresented gender identity within the mathematics community. The contest also displays a winner of past competitions, for you to have an idea about what’s expected!
Students in grades 6 to 8, 9-12, and undergraduates are assessed independently, and one winner is recognised from each category. The Grand Prize winner, selected from the three category winners, is recognised separately. Winners and honorable mentions gain monetary prizes, AWM memberships, certificates, publication opportunities and features in the AWM newsletter.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: - July 31
Application Deadline: May 31 (Submission Deadline)
Eligibility: Students in grades 5-12
The Global Youth AI Ethics Competition by EthicsWise is open to participation for middle and high school students. Participants are asked to write about ethical questions related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) through an essay or a video submission, or through any other art form. When choosing an essay, you will be expected to review existing literature, case studies and put forth solutions to tackle the problems plaguing the field. You can choose topics ranging from algorithmic recommendation to bias reduction.
Winning essays and submissions are featured on EthicsWise AI’s official website. As a winner, you will also earn a recommendation letter and a certificate for volunteer hours, in addition to being recognised as an Ethics Youth Thought Leader.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.