2025 International High School Essay Contest

Title*

An Essay By*

Home Street Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Name of High School*

Address of High School*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Student Email*

example@example.com

Essay File Upload*

The essay, MS Word document, must be between 700 and 750 words

Contest Name: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity International High School Essay Contest Name of Sponsoring Chapter:Location of Chapter:

Name of Sponsoring Chapter*

Location of Chapter*

Rating Criteria

Sigma Mu Mu's Essay Contest Committee will rate submitted essays using the criteria below. Essays may earn a maximum rating of 100 points.

1. Development of Topic/Thesis: (30 possible points) Topic is well-developed (covers and develops major points, supplying enough information for understanding)

2. Progression: (20 possible points) Composition progresses from beginning to end in a logical flow of information

3. Readability: (25 possible points) Concise prose that sticks to the point and does not ramble (holds reader's attention)

4. Grammar: (15 possible points) Agreement of subject and verb; proper tense; correct sentence construction; paragraphing, including transitional phrases linking same

S. Spelling: (5 possible points)

6. Punctuation: (5 possible points)

Additional Information

By completing the included Essay Release Form, any persons submitting
manuscripts thereby grant to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. the right to keep the manuscripts and to exercise full publishing rights to them.
Awards will be announced on or about July 1, 2026, and the decision of the judges will be final. Winners may be required to furnish written proof that they were enrolled in their respective high school at the time the essay was submitted. Awards will be released to each winner, upon written verification from an institution of higher education that the individual has enrolled. A current college class schedule may be required to verify actual enrollment. Awards must be claimed within 18 months after the announcement date to be valid. Awards will not be processed without completion of the Media Release form. The Fraternity will publish winners, images on the International Website and social media Pages.

Submission Process:

All submissions will be reviewed by Sigma Mu Mu's Essay Contest Committee. Deadline for submissions is midnight of October 31, 2025.

The manuscript must be postmarked, or time stamped on the email no later than midnight, October 31, 2025, and sent to an Omega Psi Phi Chapter Sponsoring the Essay Contest.

Essays are NOT to be sent to the Fraternity's headquarters. Any essay sent to the Fraternity’s headquarters directly will be deemed ineligible.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc - Essay Release Form

I, the undersigned, as Parent or Guardian of First Name* Last Name* (insert full name of essay applicant),

declare that the Essay/Manuscript authored and submitted by him(her) to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. for purposes of consideration in its International High School Essay Contest is an original work. I hereby grant to Omega Psi Phi Fraternity a non-exclusive right to publish said work for distribution to members and the public for the purposes of advertising or publicizing the contest and any winners. Distribution may include and not be limited to print, oral or web based, internet distribution. I, further acknowledge that I have been apprised of the Fraternity’s policy relating to its use of the Essays of participants at the time of application to the Essay Contest. The Essay Application document states:
Persons submitting manuscripts hereby grant to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. a non-exclusive right to keep essay manuscripts and to publish them for the purpose of advertising and publicizing the Essay Contest to members and the general public.
I hereby grant to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. an irrevocable, worldwide license to use, reproduce, distribute, or modify the article in its entirety or portions thereof. I also declare that if any parts of my child’s submission are copyrighted, permission has been sought and received by us, or appropriate attribution has been made. I further agree that the name, likeness, and biographical material, including affiliations of the author, may be used in
connection with, and promotion of, the essay/manuscript and/or the Essay Contest itself.

(Parent or Guardian Name:)*

Telephone:

Please enter a valid phone number.

Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Email*

example@example.com

(Parent/Guardian Signature):*

Date*

Date

(Essay/Manuscript Author Name):*

Signature*

Date*

Date

Local Chapter Name*

Media Release and Consent Form

Student's name*

First NameLast Name

Age:*

Physical address:*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Email address:*

example@example.com

Parent/Guardian's Name:*

First NameLast Name

Phone (h)

Please enter a valid phone number.

Phone (c)*

Please enter a valid phone number.

I hereby grant Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Mu Mu. Chapter (“the Organization”) permission to use my likeness in photographs, video recordings or electronic images in any and all of its publications, including website entries, without payment or any other consideration. I understand and agree that these materials will become the property of the Organization and will not be returned. I hereby irrevocably authorize the Organization to edit, alter, copy, exhibit, publish or distribute these images for purposes of publicizing
the organization's programs or for any other lawful purpose. In addition, I waive the right to inspect or approve the finished product, including written or electronic copy, wherein my likeness appears.

Additionally, I waive any right to royalties or other compensation arising or related to the use of my image. I hereby
hold harmless and release and forever discharge the Organization from all claims, demands, and causes of action which I, my heirs, representatives, executors, administrators, or any other persons acting on my behalf or on behalf
of my estate have or may have by reason of this authorization.

I am 18 years of age and am competent to contract in my own name, or if I am under age 18, a parent or guardian has signed below. I have read this release before signing below and I fully understand the contents, meaning and impact of this release.

Signature*

Date*

Date

(Printed Name)*

First NameLast Name

If the person signing is under age 18, we would ask that that person sign but there must also be the signed consent by a parent or guardian, below:

I hereby certify that I am the parent or guardian of blanks* named above, and do hereby give my consent without reservation to the foregoing release on behalf of this person.
blank*

(Parent/Guardian's Signature)*

Date*

Date

(Printed Name)*