The lawyers and judges of the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, through the Middle District Bench Bar Fund, and the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, invite high school students in grades 9–12 in Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties to participate in an essay contest analyzing how individuals can create unity among people with diverse interests to achieve a collective goal. Participating students, their teachers, and schools have a chance to win cash prizes as listed below.
First Place:
$ 2,000.00
Second Place:
$ 1,000.00
Third Place:
$ 500.00
Fourth through Tenth Places, each:
$ 150.00
Classroom Grant for Teachers
of the Top Three Winners:
$ 500.00
Grant for School with the
Most Qualifying Submissions:
$ 1,000.00
*The first place winner also will have an opportunity to shadow a Tampa Division United States District Judge for a day. A teacher of two or more student winners may qualify for only one classroom grant. A qualifying submission is one that satisfies all Contest Rules.
Submission Deadline: September 23, 2026
Top Ten Announced: November 12, 2026
Winners Announced: December 2, 2026
For more information, contact David Wright, Esquire at, dwright@carltonfields.com.
