Court Announces 7th Annual Civics Essay Contest

  • Tuesday, February 4, 2025

High school students in 17 area counties are invited to participate in the annual civics essay contest sponsored by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Chattanooga Division, and the Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

The prompt for this year’s contest is a question that will soon be discussed by the Supreme Court: When is a police officer’s use of deadly force reasonable? Students are invited to share their views on what factors a court should consider in deciding if an officer’s use of force was reasonable or excessive

The contest is open to public, private, and home school students in 8th to 12th grade in the following counties: Bedford, Bledsoe, Bradley, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Lincoln, McMinn, Marion, Meigs, Moore, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie, Warren and Van Buren.

Entries for the contest must be postmarked or emailed by March 14. Email submissions should be sent to chattcivicsessay@gmail.com. Entries can also be mailed to Civics Essay Contest, Attn: Kelly L. Walsh, U.S. Courthouse, 900 Georgia Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37402. All entries must include a physically or electronically signed submission form.

Three high school winners will be selected. Prizes are $500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd Place, and $100 for 3rd place. Winners will be announced in early April. Along with their parents and teachers, winning students will be invited to a reception at the Courthouse with members of the selection committee.

Full essay prompt, requirements, and additional materials are available on the Court’s website. For questions, please contact Kelly L. Walsh at 386-3523 or via email to chattcivicsessay@gmail.com.

Student Scene
Muhlenberg College Students Earn Dean's List Honors
  • 7/8/2025

To be eligible for the Dean's List, Muhlenberg College students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or better while taking three or more course units during a semester. A graduate of Girls Preparatory ... more

Cleveland State Partners With City Fields For Electrical Bootcamp
Cleveland State Partners With City Fields For Electrical Bootcamp
  • 7/8/2025

Cleveland State Community College Workforce Development recently partnered with City Fields to provide a new Electrical Wiring Bootcamp. Fourteen students completed the 40-hour program and earned ... more

UTC Wins Gold In International CASE Awards For Olivia Reeves Social Media Campaign
UTC Wins Gold In International CASE Awards For Olivia Reeves Social Media Campaign
  • 7/8/2025

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Division of Communications and Marketing has earned a gold award in the 2025 Circle of Excellence competition from the Council for Advancement and ... more