Participating in competitions can significantly enhance a student’s profile for college admissions. There are plenty of humanities competitions opportunities for middle school and high school students.
Well known Competitions
Model United Nations (MUN)
- Overview: MUN is an educational simulation of the United Nations where students participate as delegates representing different countries and engage in debates on global issues.
- Categories: Various committees focusing on different aspects of international relations and diplomacy.
- Recognition: Delegates may receive awards based on their performance in debates and negotiations.
International History Olympiad
- Overview: A global competition that brings together students who excel in history through challenging exams, essay writing, and a quiz bowl.
- Categories: History-related academic challenges.
- Recognition: Medals, certificates, and the opportunity to connect with history enthusiasts worldwide.
Philosophy Olympiad
- Overview: Encourages students to explore philosophical questions and engage in critical thinking.
- Categories: Essays and philosophical problem-solving.
- Recognition: National and international competitions with opportunities for philosophical exploration and dialogue.
The International Geography Bee
- Overview: A competition that tests students’ knowledge of geography through a series of challenging questions.
- Categories: Geographic knowledge and awareness.
- Recognition-Recognition: Competitions are held at local, regional, and international levels.
Writing Competition
Writing competitions tailored for middle and high students serve as mediums for young wordsmiths to unleash their creativity. Participants engage in crafting compelling stories, poems, or essays to explore diverse themes and prompts. These contests encourage literary exploration, honing writing skills, and expressing unique perspectives. Judged on creativity, coherence, and originality, these competitions offer valuable feedback and recognition to budding talents. With opportunities for publication and often organized by educational institutions or literary organizations, these competitions inspire love for writing while fostering a sense of community by contributing to the development of the next generation of literary voices.
If you’re considering humanities competitions and do not know where to start, Can-Star Academy provides opportunities to join teams and receive training for these competitions. Some of our popular completion preparation courses:
1 Writing competition foundation course
This course is taught by a renowned writer. He aims to inspire love for writing while nurturing individual expression.
The goals of the course are:
Fostering creativity, honing essential writing skills, and promoting critical thinking;
Engage students in crafting compelling narratives, poetry, or essays, emphasizing clarity, coherence, and originality;
Encourage diverse genres, from fiction to persuasive writing, instilling genre awareness;
Practice refining editing and revision abilities, ensuring polished submissions.
Competitions that draw upon the skills learned are:
The Bennington College Young Writers Awards
The Bennington College Young Writers Awards is an annual competition organized by Bennington College in Vermont, USA. This competition is designed to recognize and celebrate the literary achievements of young writers in various genres.
John Locke Essay Competition
The John Locke Institute hosts an annual essay competition designed to encourage students to engage with philosophical ideas and develop their critical thinking and writing skills. The John Locke Essay Competition is typically open to students in various age groups, ranging from high school students to undergraduates.
2. Common Core Reading Program (G8-G12)
For any humanities competition, the best way to prepare is to read in as many areas as possible. Common Core Reading refers to a set of academic standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. The course emphasizes a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn.
Instructors of the course will do guided reading with students throughout the year. 10 books in history, philosophy, science, social studies, and literature will be covered. While inspiring students to enjoy reading, the course also focuses on developing students’ proficiency in:
This course prepares students for college and career readiness by fostering strong analytical and comprehension skills.
Price
Small class | One-on-One | |
Writing competition foundation course | 50 per hour 2 hours per week, could be paired with one-on-one editing | 100 per hour |
Common Core Reading Program (G8-G12) | 50 per hour 2 hours per week, year round Typically instructors spend 20 hours on one book. | 100 per hour |