The Maryknoll Student Essay Contest is open to high school students of any religious background. To be eligible, you must write a 500-750 word "letter to the pope" on one of the topics of that cycle.
The 2017 contest received 4,773 entries from students who competed in two divisions (grades 6 to 8 and grades 9 to 12) for nearly $3,000 in cash prizes:
- $1,000 for each of the two first-place finalists
- $300 for each of the two second-place finalists
- $150 for third place