Panacea Challenge 2022 General Info Categories
Semi-Finalists Finalists Grand Champions Gallery - Essays Gallery - Video FAQ Archive Panacea 2021
Panacea 2020
Panacea Challenge 2021 - Essay/Paper
General Description

The primary goal of these contests is to foster the spirit of competition and learning among the youth. Parents and children should focus on the joy of learning and interaction with other participants rather than on the possible outcome of the contest. The Essay Contest of the Panacea Challenge is primarily to encourage the students writing and research skills.

In addition to all the rules stated in the General Info section, the following rules are applicable for the Essay Writing category of the Panacea Challenge.

Please refer to the topics for each level listed in the General Info page.

Panacea Essay Writing Rules
  1. There are three levels of essay contests:
    • Elementary : K - 5 grades (200-400 words count)
    • Middle School: 6 - 8 grades (400–700 words count)
    • High School: 9 - 12 grades (400–700 words count)
  2. Word count limit applies only to the body of the essay and does not apply to title, acknowledgements or bibliography.
  3. Only one submission from each contestant will be allowed.
  4. Essays or a Mathematical Analysis must be completely the work of the student entering the contest. Each entry must focus on ONE of following "Community Improvement" themed topics centered around DEI :Some topic ideas are
    • Addressing mental health among adolescents
    • Improving healthcare access for underserved communities
    • Addressing the gender pay gap
    • Increasing school or workplace diversity
    • Online learning educational disparities during COVID
    • Community approach to preventing homelessness
    • Food insecurity and health outcomes
    • Bridging communication gaps within the community or amongst different generations of individuals
  5. Please submit the collaborative work under the older contestant’s name and grade level. Due credit will be given to all the team members.
  6. Please submit all the work in MS Word or PDF formats
    • Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced.
  7. In order to be considered all essay submissions must be submitted by deadline mentioned in the General Info section.
  8. No editing is allowed once the essay is submitted. Please adhere to the topic guidelines.
  9. If you have multiple files to submit, please Zip them together and submit one file.
  10. North South Foundation shall reserve the right to publish any submissions, name, school and photo of any participant in any manner it deems fit.
  11. Judges may request an online meeting with the contestant for further clarification on submission.
Judging
  1. Guidelines for judging criteria:
    • Spelling, Grammar, and Sentence Structure: No misspellings or grammatical errors. Well-constructed sentences.
    • Vocabulary: Skillful word choice.
    • Organization: Well-sequenced essay with smooth transitions. (If math analysis, look at organization of mathematical approaches.)
    • Scope: Evidence of breadth and depth of chosen topic. Includes proper citations.
    • Quality of Presentation: Effectively presents and analyzes information.
    • Delivery and Voice: Reflects commitment to topic and engages the reader.
    • Out of the Box Thinking/ Novelty of Ideas: Displays creative thinking and displays a grasp of the bigger picture relating to topic.
    • Theme and Word Count: Adheres to theme and word count requirements.
  2. Judge’s decision will be final.
Winners and Ranks:
  1. Winners will be selected based on:
    • Creativity
    • Clarity
    • Evidence Based Research
    • Depth of Analysis
    Each submission will be reviewed and scored by three independent judges. Based on the average scores of the three judges, winners will be determined. The 1st place winner shall be ahead by at least (.01) to be declared as the champion. In announcing the ranks 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, the following rules apply:
    • Announce Ranks 1, 2 and 3, if and only if there are at least 10 contestants.
    • Announce Ranks 1 and 2 ONLY, if there are 8 or 9 contestants.
    • Announce Rank 1 ONLY, if there are 5-7 contestants.
    • Ranks will not be announced if there are less than 5 contestants.
Tiebreaker Rules:
  1. Rank tied submissions based on unique organization of content and creative interpretation of the theme (aka originality of work).
  2. If warranted, consideration will be given to the contestant’s defense of essay/paper during online meetings with judges.
  3. In case of a tie, the participant of lower (or lowest) grade will be the winner.
  4. Judge’s decision will be final
  5. Essays may be published at any subsequent finals or the Bee Book or Annual Review.
panaceachallenge