Faith In Action – Community
2026 Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Eassy Contest
Sponsored by Oak Creek Council 16821
Oak Creek Council 16821 is proud to host this year’s Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest. The goal of this program is to involve young Catholics in grades 8 to 12 (public, private, parochial or home schools during the current school year) in civic discourse and instill in them religious and life-affirming values. The essay should be 500-750 words. Entrants will be judged on grammar, style, and how clearly, they present the theme in a way that showcases creativity, imagination and overall development of the topic.
Contest Overview & Theme
The contest is open to all Catholic students in Grades 8 through 12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools during the current academic year.
2026 Eassy Theme
“The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.”
In 500-750 words, explain what this quote from former U.S. President and Knights of Columbus member John F. Kennedy’s 1961 Inaugural address means and its importance for the flourishing of a nation.
Rules & Submission Guidelines
To ensure your submission is eligible for judging, please adhere strictly to the following requirements:
- Original Work Only: Submissions must be the student’s own original creation and directly address the assigned theme. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate, compose, revise, or edit any portion of the essay is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.
- Formatting: Essays must be typed and double-spaced, falling strictly between 500 and 750 words.
- Anonymity: Do not put the student’s name on the essay itself. The student’s name should appear only on the official Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest entry form, which must be stapled to the front of the paper.
- Parental Consent: A signed parental consent form must accompany each entry.
- Ownership: All submitted essays become the property of the Knights of Columbus and cannot be returned.
- Recognition: Every local participant will receive recognition for their work.
Judging Criteria
Essays will be evaluated by a panel of judges on a 100-point scale:
| Category | Points | Evaluation Criteria |
| Content | 35 Points | Clarity, focus, and depth in addressing the assigned theme. |
| Grammar | 30 Points | Proper mechanics, sentence structure, paragraph organization, and spelling. |
| Style | 35 Points | Originality, creativity, compelling tone, and overall topic development. |
Deadline & How to Submit
Due Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2026
Late Submissions: Entries postmarked or received after December 1, 2026, will not be considered.
Be sure your official entry form with parental consent is completely filled out and stapled to your essay before turning it in.