Clinton Foundation announces themes for essay contest

The Clinton Foundation has announced the details of its annual essay contest, “Ideas Matter,” which encourages Arkansas high school students to turn ideas into action.

The winner receives a $2,500 college scholarship. To compete, juniors and seniors must submit a minimum 500-word essay addressing one of four themes:

Increasing opportunity for girls and women.

Improving childhood health.

Creating economic opportunity and growth.

Helping communities address race relations.

In the essay, the student defines a challenge, proposes how to alleviate the challenge and develops a strategy for putting that idea into action.

Last year, Taylor Scifres of Bryant High School won the essay contest.

Scifres addressed the issue of domestic violence, proposing a public awareness campaign entitled “#Take2Seconds” that would allow victims to instantly access information about domestic violence hotlines and support programs via QR codes posted in bathrooms.

The 2017 essay must be submitted by Nov. 12. Essays can be submitted online at www.clintonfoundation.org/ ideasmatteressay, or sent to Ideas Matter Essay, c/o The Clinton Foundation, 1200 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72201.

Additional information is available from Joyce Willis, educational programs manager, at (501) 748-0472 or jwillis@clintonfoundation.org.