Essay Contest

Since its inaugural year in 2001-2002, the Student Essay Contest has given more than 15,000 students the opportunity to think deeply about topics related to the Mission of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Its reach has become international, receiving entries from over 20 countries and serving to engage young people with the history and lessons of the Memorial.

Over 900 students participated in this year’s contest from 44 U.S. states and territories and 12 different countries. For this year’s contest, we asked students to watch a video about the Oklahoma City bombing and think about why the event is important today. Winning entries were selected by a panel of 22 judges for their unique voice, thoughtful analysis, and consideration for the relevance of the topic in the past and present.

These inspirational writers give us hope for the future! Congratulations to the winners—you can read their essays below.