Contest Opens
September 1, 2026
Contest coordinators are able to register and begin submitting entries.
2026-2027 school year program timeline
Key dates and deadlines
Please note these important milestones for the 2026-2027 school year program.
Entry Deadline
March 1, 2027
submit entries by this date
Finalist Notifications
April 2027
Finalists will be notified in April.
Awards Banquet
May 2027
The awards banquet is typically held the second week of May.
About the Laws of Life Essay Contest
Writing from the heart
The Laws of Life Essay Contest is a character-themed essay competition for students, originally created by Sir John Templeton in 1987, and adopted by BBB’s Center for Character Ethics in 2009 as a vital component of the future leaders programming.
The contest challenges young people to discover through reflection and writing what matters most to them in their own lives and the principles they believe should guide their behaviors and choices. The Central Ohio BBB Laws of Life Essay Contest is a competition of the best Laws of Life essays written by middle school students in BBB’s 21-county service area. BBB’s Center for Character Ethics sponsors the contest to encourage schools and communities to engage in this enriching and valuable experience.
Entering the Contest
What you need to know
Laws of Life Essay Contest is for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who have a law of life they are passionate about, or who want to use writing their essay as a way to discover what they feel is important to them.
Entering the contest
Contest coordinator
Teacher resources
2027 Resources for teachers/oordinators
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
The Central Ohio contest is open to schools with students in grades 6, 7, and 8 in the following Ohio counties: Athens, Champaign, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Meigs, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, Union, Vinton.
Teachers and/or contest coordinators should choose the top essays based on the scale found in the Teachers Guide on page 17.
One piece of cover artwork may be submitted per school that is entering essays.
Essays are due by midnight on March 1.
The laws of life are the core values, ideals and principles by which we live. Essays should be about a law of life of the student’s choosing.
No more than three pages, double spaced.
Essays should be submitted online by the designated contest coordinator for your school. Please click here for additional information on the submitting process (or see page 9 in the Teachers Guide).
Finalists will be notified in April.
There is a first, second and third place award for each grade level; $100, $75 and $50, respectively. Overall awards are as follows: Best Overall Essay $500, 2nd Place Overall $250, 3rd Place Overall $100, Best Special Theme Essay $150, and Best Cover Design $100. Additional awards may be added.
A group of volunteers from the community.
The awards banquet is typically held the second week of May.
If the student is unable to attend the banquet their award will be mailed to the home address listed on the student’s entry form.
Yes, please visit our Teacher Resources page for classroom resources.