2024-25 Garaventa Center High School Essay Contest

We are pleased to announce the 2024/25
Essay Contest Prompt      

The Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life and American Culture at the University of Portland exists to explore and deploy the fruits of faith, reason and imagination that constitute the Catholic intellectual tradition. We are especially committed to awakening and celebrating those gifts in young people, hence this annual essay contest, in which participants are encouraged to integrate faith, reason and the intellectual craft of writing a personal essay (i.e. this is not a fiction writing contest). 

In the Constitutions of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, the religious community that founded and sponsors the University of Portland, we find this description of what an education should do: “Wherever we work we assist others not only to recognize and develop their own gifts but also to discover the deepest longing in their lives.” Constitution 2: Mission

Inspired by this Constitution, our 2024/25 essay contest theme is:

“Longing(s)”

The deepest longing(s) in your life…your heart’s desire…your passion for being…whatever words we use, we believe that education should be transformational. Have you had a glimpse of your deepest longing(s)? Maybe it is more than a glimpse and has features you can describe. If not, how would you go about discovering it? How might learning to recognize and develop your gifts while you are in high school, and later in college, aid you in this journey of discovery?

For important contest information go to HS Essay Contest Flyer.

The most successful personal essays convey something true and provide readers with a bit of emotional “oomph.” While many people know that the world “catholic” means “universal,” it may also be helpful to note the word’s Greek roots: “Katho” + “Houlis,” which means “toward unity.” By definition, then, Catholic education strives to move learners away from fragmentation and toward wholeness and integration.

English teachers, take note: coaching students through this process contributes evidence of mastery of a number of Common Core Literacy Standards, beginning with CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1, 12.2 and 12.3.

The essay contest is open to all current juniors in a Catholic high school in Alaska, Hawai’i, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington, as well as Holy Cross high schools in the U.S.

A committee at the University will read all entries to select the top two awards ($500 cash prize each) and three honorable mentions ($250 cash prize each).

All submissions must be made via email. Please send your school’s submissions (up to four per school) to garaventa@up.edu by Friday, February 14, 2025. Word documents only, no PDFs. If you have any questions, please contact the Garaventa Center at 503.943.7702 or garaventa@up.edu.