Contest Opens
September 1
Essay submission period begins.
About the program
What is the Laws of Life Essay Contest?
The Laws of Life Essay Contest asks students in grades 9-12 to self-reflect and write about ethical principles that will help them develop leadership skills and their character. During the process, they will learn more about themselves and what they stand for after reading the UncommonSense® FRAMEWORK.
Additionally, it gives teachers the opportunity to learn about their students and encourage empathy and compassion.
2026 program timeline
Key dates & deadlines
Mark your calendar
Deadline
March 13
Essays must be submitted by the deadline.
Winners Announced
May 31
Recipients notified by email and on BBB platforms.
Is this for you?
Contest eligibility
The Laws of Life Essay Contest is open to students in grades 9-12 throughout the following Ohio counties:
Ashland
Medina
Portage
Richland
Summit
Wayne
How the process works:
1
Review the contest
Learn about the contest guidelines, requirements and resources. Download Contest Packet and Teacher's Guide below.
2
Choose a topic
Explore the Laws of Life and select a meaningful value, principle or personal experience to write about.
3
Write your essay
Write and revise your essay about a personal experience, following the contest requirements.
4
Submit your entry
Complete the required entry form(s) and submit your essay by the deadline.
5
Judging & recognition
Essays are judged, winners are selected and students receive awards and recognition.
Let's get started
Required forms
These can be filled out and returned via email or printed and returned via mail.
Teacher submission form
For teachers and coordinators. Download, fill out and return with submissions.
Student submission form
One Student Submission Form must be included with each essay.
Helpful PDFs
Additional resources
Use these resources to promote the contest, introduce the annual theme, guide students through the writing process, and support teachers and coordinators.
Special theme
Each year, BBB Akron selects a new Special Character Theme. Students are encouraged, but not required, to write about this theme.
Teacher's guide
Full contest details and essay prompts to help brainstorm ideas.
Printable essay contest flyer
A printable resource for schools, libraries and community organizations to share with high school students. Use this flyer to promote the BBB Laws of
Sample grading rubric
Here is what the judges will be looking for when they review student essays.
FAQ
I need more information
Email to:
Kimberly Ickes, Senior Director of Administration
[email protected]
Mail to:
Better Business Bureau
Laws of Life Essay Contest
388 S. Main Street, Suite 302
Akron, OH 44311
To submit entries by email:
The Student Entry Form must be submitted for each essay. This applies to both independent submissions and group submissions.
Obtain the student and parent/guardian signatures.
Complete a Coordinator Registration Form for group submission. If your group is larger than 25 students, the Coordinator should submit the top 25 for judging.
Email completed Student Entry Forms, essays (no names or identifying information should appear on the essays) and Coordinator
Kimberly Ickes
Subject Line: Laws of Life Essay Contest - School Name
[email protected]
To submit entries by mail:
The Student Entry Form must be submitted for each essay. This applies to both independent submissions and group submissions.
Obtain the student and parent/guardian signatures.
Paperclip (please no staples) the entry form to one copy of each essay, printed one-sided and on white paper only. No names or identifying information should appear on the essays.
Complete a Coordinator Registration Form for group submission. If your group is larger than 25 students, the Coordinator should submit the top 25 for judging.
Entries can be mailed to:
Better Business Bureau
Laws of life Essay Contest
388 S. Main Street, Suite 302
Akron, OH 44311
ACCOUNTABILITY
High-character people scrutinize themselves and welcome the scrutiny of others.
They adopt a transparent style that invites inspection and do not isolate themselves or their actions from others, which is essential to forming transparent, collaborative environments. They place themselves in relationships that motivate self-examination and encourage constructive critique from others, particularly those they serve. (Observable virtues: open, up-front, self-disclosing, transparent).
Download the Special Theme PDF for a full definition and writing prompts.
Students: Each student entry must include a completed Student Submission Form. A parent or guardian must sign the form for students under 18. Schools or organizations submitting entries will also need to submit a Teacher Submission Form.
Teachers: Teachers and coordinators should attach an additional Teacher Submission Form.
Essays are judged primarily on their content. Judges consider how thoughtfully students explore their chosen Law of Life, reflect on their experiences and communicate their ideas.
Tip: Winning essays do more than describe a Law of Life. They include a meaningful personal experience or example that shows why it matters to the writer.
Essays should be 500–1,000 words, or approximately 2–3 pages. Essays should be typed, single-sided and double-spaced.
Please use paper clips. No staples.
Yes. Students may enter independently if their school does not offer the contest as a class or school assignment. Send us your essay and a student submission form.
Students may receive cash awards and recognition for winning essays. Award categories and amounts may vary by year, so please review the current contest resources (above) for the most up-to-date information.
Gives school an effective, easy to implement character based program and an authentic purpose for writing.
Provides teachers with the opportunity to get to know their students better, improving the classroom climate and relationships.Provides an opportunity for writing a personal narrative, a component of academic standards.
Provides practice for state, SAT and ACT writing tests as well as college entrance essays.
Builds stronger community-school ties by enabling educators and community members to work side by side on a positive and affirming activity.
Allows students to write about life events, which can be cathartic and confidence building.
Encourages self-reflection, which contributes to academic success
Unlike other essay contests, the Laws of Life Essay Contest winners can be from all ability levels, including student with special needs and/or at risk students.
Kimberly Ickes, Senior Director of Administration
Mailing Address:
Better Business Bureau
Laws of Life Essay Contest
388 S. Main Street, Suite 302
Akron, OH 44311
