Congratulations to the Winners
of the
2026 NSU Louisiana High School Essay Contest!
First Place
Emmy Habetz
Southside High School
“More Than a Louisiana Champion”
Second Place
Claire Hebert
Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts
“This isn’t a foreign language;
this is the language of your ancestors”
Third Place
Ellise Bryant
C.E. Byrd High School
“Homer Plessy”
The 18th Annual NSU Louisiana High School Essay Contest is sponsored by the
Louisiana Folklife Center, the Department of English, Languages, and Cultural
Studies, the Office of Financial Aid, and the Office of Recruiting at
Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Who Can Enter
The contest is open to all Louisiana students in grades 9–12, regardless of school type. This includes:
- Public school students
- Private school students
- Charter school students
- Students in alternative educational settings
- Homeschooled students
2026 Theme: Remembering Louisiana
Students are invited to respond to one of the following prompts:
Interview a member of your family or community who is at least one generation older than you, such as a parent, grandparent, or community member. What does this person consider the most significant historical event or societal change they have experienced during their lifetime?
Personal reflections and experiences are encouraged, and essays may be written in narrative form.
If you could spend one hour talking with any Louisianan from the past, present, or future, who would you choose and why?
Each entry must include a cover sheet with the following information:
- Student name
- Mailing address
- Phone number
- Email address
- School affiliation
- Title of entry
By Mail:
Louisiana Folklife Center
NSU Box 5688
Natchitoches, LA 71497
By Email:
Send Microsoft Word files to rasmussens@nsula.edu
Subject Line: 2026 NSU Louisiana High School Essay Contest
Submission Deadline: June 1, 2026
Winner Notification: By July 15, 2026
Awards and Scholarships
Contest winners will receive:
- 1st Place: $150
- 2nd Place: $100
- 3rd Place: $50
In addition, winners are eligible for a $200 per semester NSU scholarship, valued at up to $1,600 over four years if they attend Northwestern State University. This scholarship may be combined with other NSU awards.
To qualify for the scholarship, students must:
- Have at least a 20 ACT composite or 950 SAT
- Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA
- Submit proof of award
Additional Opportunities
Winning essayists will:
- Be invited to present at the 18th Annual Louisiana Studies Conference
- Present on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at NSU
- Have their essays published in the Louisiana Folklife Journal
Submission to the contest grants permission for publication. Entries may be subject to minor revisions prior to publication.
Sponsors
This contest is sponsored by:
- Louisiana Folklife Center
- Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies
- Office of Financial Aid
- Office of Recruiting
- Northwestern State University
Essay Contest Co-Chairs
