USIP is proud to partner with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest for 2016-2017. The contest engages high school students each year in learning and writing about issues of peace and conflict, encouraging appreciation for diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peace-building and protect national security.

The 2016-2017 contest challenges students to closely examine the causes and impact of the refugee crisis. The winner of the contest will receive a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to meet the secretary of state and USIP leadership, and a full-tuition paid voyage with Semester at Sea upon the student’s enrollment at an accredited university. The runner-up will receive a $1,250 cash prize and a full scholarship to participate in the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference.