Scholarship Contest
The annual Religious Liberty Scholarship Contest engages high school students in church-state issues by directing them to express a point of view on a religious liberty topic.
The submission period for the 2024 contest has now closed. Return to this page later this year to learn about the winners.
Entries are judged on the depth of their content, mastery of the topic and the skill with which they are produced. Read our press release here.
2023 Winners
Grand prize winner:
Madilynn Hickman
Colbert, Washington
Essay title: “The Sacred Places”
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In her winning essay, Hickman told the powerful story of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, a sovereign tribal nation whose sacred places have been desecrated by industrial development. “We have seen what happened to the Snoqualmie Tribe and how an ignorance of cherished religious rights has infringed on their spiritual liberties,” she wrote.
Hickman also urged her representative to preserve and protect the sacred places of all Indigenous people. “If we are to uphold America’s value for personal religion, we cannot allow an entire nation’s sacred places to be plowed over.”
2nd prize:
Frances Hudson
Frederick, Colorado
Essay title: “Religious Freedom: The First Amendment Applies to All”
3rd prize:
Viktor James Povozhaev
Willoughby Hills, Ohio
Essay Title: “Preserving Sacred Land: A Moral Imperative for Protecting the Beliefs of Indigenous Peoples”
“Religion is important for people both in life and in death, so giving prisoners the peace they need at the end of their life is a basic freedom that I believe the Founding Fathers would have understood. … The United States has worked hard to ensure our rights are protected. If our nation has fought and died for us to live with our rights, why should we not let prisoners die with their rights as well?”
Bethany Crist / 2022 Grand Prize