2026 High School Essay Contest

The Yale Women's Leadership Initiative Essay Contest is open to current high school students in the U.S. and internationally from grades 9-12. Please submit your work via the "Apply" button below. 

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Please answer this prompt in 500-1000 words: “Women leaders in our communities often create change not just through their actions, but through the inspiration they give to others. Choose a woman leader from your community who has made a difference. What lessons from her leadership do you hope to carry forward, and how would you apply those lessons in your own future goals or leadership journey?"

 

Submissions must be in Times New Roman, point 12 font, in PDF format, with a file name of LastName_FirstName_WLIContest.

 

The deadline for submissions is 1/2/2026 at 11:59PM EST. Winners will be announced on our Instagram @yalewli and published on our Yale WLI website.

 

Winners and families are invited to attend our flagship annual Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative Conference on Yale University's campus (tentatively in February 2026) and receive networking opportunities with members of the Yale community, including faculty, alumni, speakers, and students. Winners will receive prizes of $200, $100, and $50 for first, second, and third place. Winners may also include honorable mentions and finalists. Winners will be required to provide their own transportation to and from Yale’s campus for the conference. Please email maria.cuevasmateo@yale.edu or samantha.fan@yale.edu if you have any questions!