The topic of the Hindu American Foundation’s (HAF) NextGen Essay Contest for 2012 is If I were elected President of the United States, my Hindu principles would inspire me to….

HAF announces its fourth annual NextGen Essay Contest, open to writers ages 14 through 27. As HAF continues its efforts to build a progressive Hindu American voice, it is also working to ensure the voices of future Hindu American leaders are heard. The NextGen Essay Contest was established in 2009 to engage the youth and to continue to emphasize the importance of a Hindu American identity.

Topic: More and more Hindu Americans are running for local, state, and federal offices. With the Presidential election season upon us, HAF would like to know how you, as a Hindu American, would run the country. This year’s topic is: If I were elected
President of the United States, my Hindu principles would inspire me to…

Contest Dates: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 – Sunday, August 12, 2012 (11:59pm EST)

Email address for submission: essay@hafsite.org

Prizes:
Category 1 (Ages 14-17): First prize – $150; Second prize – $100
Category 2 (Ages 18-22): First prize – $300; Second prize – $200
Category 3 (Ages 23-27): First prize – $500; Second prize – $250

The first prize winning entries will be published on Beliefnet.

Winning entry announcement date: Monday, August 27, 2012

Essay Requirements:
1. Essays must be 12-point type, double-spaced, 1-inch page margins, and in pdf format.
2. Essays must have a title.
3. Essays must be between 700 and 1,000 words. Essays not within these length requirements will not be considered.
4. Sources must be credited in a bibliography.
5. A one-paragraph bio of the author, including age, must be included at the end of the essay. Please do NOT submit a separate bio pdf.

Judging Criteria:
Entries will be judged on the depth of their content and the skill with which they are written. Authors should demonstrate a sound knowledge of the subject matter and support their assertions. Essays should be free of grammatical errors and should be clear, concise and well-organized. Judges reserve the right to present no awards or to reduce the number of awards if an insufficient number of deserving entries is received.

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For inquiries, please contact Sheetal Shah, HAF Senior Director, at essay@hafsite.org.

The Hindu American Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-partisan organization promoting the Hindu and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism.