Everything You Need to Know: Shreveport City Council Essay Competition 2026

Do you have a kiddo who loves a good debate a little too much? Maybe you’ve got a future Senator or a community leader practicing their speeches in the mirror? Well, it is time to put that passion to paper!

Shreveport City Council Chairwoman Tabatha Taylor and Vice Chairwoman Ursula Bowman are officially inviting students in grades 6–12 to participate in an exciting new Essay Writing Competition.

This isn’t just another school assignment, this is a chance for our local youth to get some serious love and recognition from our city’s top leaders. The competition is split into two divisions with specific prompts designed to get those creative gears turning:

Middle School (Grades 6–8): "A Problem Worth Solving." Students are asked to identify a problem affecting the future and imagine a woman leader solving it.

High School (Grades 9–12): "Designing the Future." Students will analyze how women leaders are creating long-term solutions for future generations.

The Details You Need to Know

If your student wants to enter, keep these rules in mind:

Word Count: Short and punchy! Essays must be 300 words maximum.

Judging: They are looking for originality, clarity, structure, and how well you stick to the prompt.

Deadline: All entries are due by February 28th at 5 PM.

Submission: Send those PDFs to RJ.Johnson@shreveportla.gov with the subject line "Essay Contest." Make sure the file name follows the firstname_lastname_grade format!

The best part? Winners will be recognized at the City Council Meeting on March 10th at 3 PM. Imagine how amazing that will look on a college application or a resume!

So, let’s get those ideas flowing, 318! Does your student have a "problem worth solving"? Drop a comment and tell us what local issue you think our future leaders should tackle first!