Live Deliberately Essay Challenge

Live Deliberately

2009-2010 Essay Question

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

This is one of the most recognizable quotations from Henry David Thoreau's masterpiece, Walden. Even today, Thoreau's discoveries during his two years, two months, and two days living at Walden Pond continue to shake up our thinking and ways of looking at life in general and our relationship with the natural world. Thoreau makes us think about what is truly valuable in our lives and in our world.

For this year's essay challenge, respond to this quotation. Use the following questions to help spark your thinking or discover possible angles you might take in your essay. Remember, though, your essay should not simply be a direct answer to the questions. Your response should not read like a question and answer piece. Rather, try to share your own personal beliefs, stories, or examples.

What does it mean to you "to live deliberately"? In what ways do you live deliberately?
What have you found to be "essential facts of life"? How have you discovered them?
What do you want to learn from life? Where would you go or what would you do to learn them?
Has nature or time you spent in nature helped you discover any essential truths?
What would prompt someone to decide that he or she had lived or not lived when he or she reached the end of life?
For you, what is the connection between living deliberately and living a fully actualized life or discovering essential truths?

If you would like to know more about the context of the quote for this year's essay challenge, read the chapter "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" in Walden.

Essays should be no longer than 500 words and should be submitted using this online form by March 31, 2010, no later than 11:59 pm, US Eastern Time.

Contest Guidelines

Submission: Essays should be submitted using the online form only. Please do not email or mail entries. Each student can enter only one essay for each contest deadline. Students or their adult sponsor (see below) can submit the essay.
Deadline: Essays must be submitted by March 31, 2010, no later than 11:59 pm, U.S. Eastern Time. The teacher/sponsor of student winners will be notified by email and/or phone by May 1, 2010.
Length: Essays should be no longer than 500 words.
Eligibility: The contest is open to students around the world. Any student enrolled in a public or private school or college in the United States or another country may participate. Home school students are also welcome. Students must be age 13 years or older at the time of submission. Past winners are not eligible to participate.
Adult Sponsor: Each student must have a teacher, club advisor, parent, or other adult sponsor. The sponsor will serve as the contact between World Wide Waldens and the student. He or she should also review the student's essay before submission to ensure that it meets essay guidelines.
Essays should be written in English and represent the student's original work. Students are welcome to write the essay in their own language but it must be translated into English for submission. The teacher/sponsor can provide pre-writing activities and appropriate review, editing, and translation support. The ideas, content, structure and style of the actual essay should come from the student alone.
Teachers interested in having a whole class or all classes participate are encouraged to select and submit only the two best essays per class period.
Winners: A panel of reviewers selected by the Walden Woods Project will judge entries and pick one winner each from two age categories: 13-16 yrs and 17-21 yrs. Winning essays will be featured on the World Wide Walden website along with a profile and picture of the student. Winning students will also receive a special certificate from The Walden Woods Project acknowledging their achievement and a special autographed copy of Walden.
Evaluation Criteria: Essays will be evaluated using the following criteria:
1) Focus and Organization: The essay clearly addresses the contest question or topic
   and is well-structured. Key points and ideas stand out.
2) Voice and Originality: The essay is compelling and uses a highly engaging and
    personal style. The student finds fresh or interesting ways to convey ideas.
3) Evidence of Personal Reflection: The essay shows that the student has genuinely
   explored the topic and how it relates to his or her own life, beliefs, and actions.

Tips & Suggestions

Make the essay personal. Make a personal statement or tell a story that provides insight into your own experiences and views. Use the pronoun "I".
Use "talk it out" or "rapid free write" activities to spark ideas. Pretend a journalist or interviewer has asked you to comment on the essay topic. Respond out loud - off the top of your head. Record your response or have a friend take notes about what you said. Alternatively, give yourself five minutes to write a response. Don't stop to edit yourself. Just write. Analyze your response. What worked? What didn't? Were there any particularly strong points or angles? Repeat the activity. This time, deliberately change your approach (try to answer the question a different way).
Try an idea web or mapping brainstorm activity. Use a graphic organizer or make your own. Draw a circle or bubble at the center of a piece of paper. Write 1-3 words that capture the essay topic or theme inside the bubble. Think about words, ideas, memories associated with the theme. Write each in other bubbles surrounding the one in the center.
Visit the Read Thoreau section of the World Wide Waldens site for inspiration. Read and discuss excerpts from Thoreau's Walden.
Browse the This I Believe website for examples of great essays. This I Believe is well-known essay program that presents amazing personal statements and stories written by a wide variety of people, including students.