Essay Contest Details

2026 ROTARY 4-WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST

Students in their final two years of high school are invited to submit a 500 to 1,000 word essay applying Rotary's Four-Way Test to a topic of their choice. Complete entries are due through the District 5580 Essay Contest portal by November 30, 2026.

 

Submit essays and direct contest inquiries:  4-Way Test Essay Contest Portal

Each entry must include the student's essay and the completed Student Information Form, which students fill in online in the portal when they upload the essay. Late entries, paper copies and incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

Students with no Rotary club nearby may still enter: choose "There is no Rotary club near me" in the portal, and the District essay chair will match the entry with a sponsoring club.

The Four-Way Test asks:

  • Is it the truth?
  • Is it fair to all concerned?
  • Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
  • Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Essay Rules

The essay may focus on one, two, or all four principles. Begin with a 1-3 sentence preamble briefly explaining how your topic relates to all four questions. Explain how the topic made a difference in your life or the life of the person you discuss. Students need not give each principle its own section.

Write 500-1,000 words, double-spaced. The preamble and reference notes are excluded from the word count. Include a title, but no student name or Rotary club identification on the essay. Cite outside sources, quotations and adaptations using footnotes or endnotes.

Need an idea? The Sample Topic Areas resource offers optional starting points such as youth mentorship, food security, health and wellness, environmental stewardship, inclusion, and pay-it-forward projects. You may choose another meaningful topic.

District awards: 1st place, $1,500; 2nd place, $1,000; 3rd place, $500; and 4th-7th place, $250 each. Local Rotary clubs may also offer local prizes.

Use the Student Guidelines, Sample Topic Areas and AI Policy in the 2026-2027 Materials list on the left side of this page. The Student Information Form there shows what the portal will ask for, so students can prepare their answers. A prior video message remains available as a background resource: view the background video. The current packet documents and District portal are the primary contest resources.

AI Use, Original Work and Disqualification Policy:

Students may use AI tools for brainstorming, research assistance, organization, grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity edits, citation formatting and logic checks. Students must independently verify background information. AI may not write the essay or substantial portions of it, generate paragraphs that are copied or lightly rewritten, replace the student's ideas or ethical reasoning, invent personal experiences, opinions or reflections, or answer the prompt in place of the student's own values and application of the Four-Way Test. Final ideas, analysis, conclusions, words and voice must be the student's original work. On the Student Information Form, identify any AI tools used and explain how they were used, including grammar or spelling assistance. Write 'None' if no AI was used. Plagiarism, undisclosed AI-generated content, or essays that do not reflect the student's own work may be disqualified, and any announced prize placement or prize money may be forfeited.

Contest Schedule

  • November 30, 2026: Entries due through the District portal.
  • December 1-15, 2026: Club-level judging.
  • December 16-31, 2026: District-level judging.
  • Early January 2027: Club-level and District-level winners announced.