Educator Essay Contest Resources

Incorporating the essay into your classroom

Spotlight on: Using external opportunities to support student skill building and engagement
Spotlight on: Special projects as teaching tools, an interview with Lily Crist

Considering the standards

Spotlight on: Using the MRH Essay Contest in the context of NGSS and CCSS

Keeping up to date

The VMP Chronicle, our newsletter for educators: Subscribe | Review past issues
The Hilleman Chronicle, our newsletter for science and history enthusiasts: Subscribe | Review past issues

Sharing the contest

2025 MRH Essay Contest flyer - English

Download the flyer in English

2025 MRH Essay Contest flyer - French

Download the flyer in French

Have suggestions? Let us know what you would find helpful by submitting this form, so we can make sharing the contest easier for you!

What I love seeing in the essays is students are clearly using the writing process
as a way to explore their own connections to the natural world, to science,
and to ways that we can build a better tomorrow.

– Contest partner educator

I wanted to thank the Maurice Hilleman organization again for an incredible experience.
Taking part in this competition has been so rewarding, and I’ve learned so much.

– Essay contest winner

Critical thinking is a superpower if you think about it, and the contest is a tool to help develop
this superpower. In today’s world, it is especially important.

– Contest collaborator

Thank you guys so much for organizing this event! I really enjoyed it and
it was wonderful hearing from the speakers and the other contest winners.
I feel really inspired! Thank you guys for giving me this opportunity!

– Essay contest winner

Reviewed by Hilleman Film Team on November 13, 2024