The annual essay contest organized by Coal City University Chancellors aims to nurture students’ writing skills, boost their self-assurance, and highlight their creative talents. It serves to raise awareness of current global issues among youth, encouraging them to explore and articulate their perspectives. The contest aims to stimulate the initiative and creative thinking capacity of young minds towards sustainable development. Additionally, it seeks to facilitate societal learning from students and underscore the collective responsibility in addressing pertinent issues.
Theme: SOCIAL MEDIA
In the interconnected world of today, social media has emerged as a potent force shaping the experiences of young people worldwide. Across the globe, adolescents navigate the intricate terrain of social media, where virtual connections transcend geographical barriers, and digital interactions profoundly impact their identities, relationships, and futures. As you embark on this journey of exploration and self-reflection, we invite you to delve into the multifaceted impact of social media on youth; a subject that resonates not only within our communities but also on the global stage. Let us together unravel the complexities, confront the challenges, and envision the possibilities of social media’s influence on the dynamic tapestry of Nigerian youth culture.
Benefits:
To incentivize participation and acknowledge excellence, the following prizes will be awarded:
- First Prize: 500,000 naira or a Full tuition fee scholarship at Coal City University for any course of choice and a Certificate of Achievement.
- Second Prize: a Certificate of Achievement and a sum of 250,000 naira.
- Third Prize: 150,000 naira and a Certificate of Achievement.
- All students shortlisted for the competition will receive consolation prizes along with a Certificate of Participation.
- Other Awards (such as the Best School Award, and School Incentive Award) will be conferred if applicable.
Requirements:
- Any student enrolled in Senior Secondary School (SS1-SS3) who signs up for the contest is eligible to submit an essay.
- The essay should range between 700-1000 words, with the title and author’s name typed at the top of the first page (not included in the word count).
- Essays must be in British English.
- Participants must submit their registration and entry online via the University’s website, ccu.edu.ng. Participants are allowed to submit only one entry each.
- Submissions must be original, and plagiarized essays will be disqualified.
- Co-authored essays will not be accepted.
- The organizers will hold the copyright of the submitted essays.
- The submission deadline is May 6, 2024 (11:59 pm WAT), and adherence to this deadline is mandatory.
Selection Process:
The essay contest selection process will proceed as outlined below:
- Registration: Interested students will complete a registration form available on the school’s website (www.ccu.edu.ng), providing their name, school, grade level, contact details, and confirmation of understanding of the guidelines.
- Submission: Essays must be submitted via the school’s website (www.ccu.edu.ng) by the submission deadline of May 6, 2024.
- Judging: A panel of judges, consisting of professionals, will evaluate the essays anonymously based on predefined criteria, ensuring all submissions receive equal consideration.
- Shortlisting: The top 20 essays will be shortlisted by the judges based on quality, relevance, originality, and coherence, and ranked accordingly for the second round.
- Invitations will be extended to the top 20 finalists to orally present or discuss their essays in front of the judges and a chosen audience, demonstrating their writing prowess and effective communication skills.
- Guidelines: Finalists will receive guidelines on presentation format, duration, and required materials.
- Evaluation: Judges will assess the oral presentations using the same criteria as the previous rounds, evaluating communication skills, audience engagement, and responsiveness to questions.
- Final Ranking: Final scores from both rounds will determine the winners, with the highest-scoring essay awarded first place and subsequent rankings for second and third place.
- Award Ceremony: Winners will be announced during an award ceremony on July 24, 2024, in the presence of stakeholders, scholars, principals, parents, teachers, and fellow students.
Notification of Shortlisted Students: Shortlisted students will receive notification via email and/or SMS, and winners’ names may be published on the school’s website and social media platforms by June 12, 2024.
Application Process:
Click Here to Submit Your Application
Essay Topic: “Social Media As a Double-Edged Sword”
Essay Prompt: [Includes five questions addressing the influence of social media on identity, relationships, mental health, activism, and ethical considerations.]
For Further Details,
Application Deadline: May 6, 2024.
