CNTA High School Essay Contest

WIN UP TO $1,500! The Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness (CNTA) High School Essay Contest aims to increase high school student awareness of nuclear technologies and their impact on society.  Successful essays require students to integrate science, technology, social understanding and language arts. Researching a technical topic, relating the information to society, and effectively communicating the information in writing are great skills for any high school student to practice and demonstrate. Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors must be enrolled in a school (including homeschools) within Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, Burke, Columbia, Edgefield, or Richmond County. CNTA members’ families (high school juniors or seniors) are considered eligible regardless of their county of enrollment. A contestant is allowed to submit only one essay in the competition. Contest Criteria: Write a 1,000-to-1,500-word essay on one of the following topics: Nuclear Technology in Medicine: Discuss at least two applications of nuclear technology in medicine and explain their impact on patient care, disease diagnosis, treatment outcomes, or overall public health. Nuclear Technology in Space: Discuss the past, present, and potential future uses of nuclear technology in space exploration and explain how it has supported scientific discovery and future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Nuclear Energy and the Environment: Discuss the relative carbon footprints and other environmental effects of four major electricity generation technologies, including nuclear energy. Compare their greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, waste byproducts, land and resource use, and overall impacts on climate change and the environment. Deadline: February 28, 2027