About the Gálvez Essay Contest (FCPS Grades 7-12)

This essay contest, inspired by a visit to the Embassy of Spain, offers students an exciting opportunity to showcase their understanding of history and their ability to analyze and communicate complex ideas. By participating, students will gain a deeper insight into Spanish-American relations and the pivotal role Bernardo de Gálvez played in securing American independence.

The Bernardo de Gálvez Essay Contest is proudly sponsored by the Langley High School World Affairs Club. Open to all FCPS middle and high school students, this competition is an excellent chance to:

• Explore the significant contributions of Bernardo de Gálvez to American independence.

• Analyze the importance of the Spanish-American alliance during the Revolutionary War.

• Reflect on the lasting legacy of this historical partnership.

• Enhance research, writing, and critical thinking skills.

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to engage with history and sharpen your academic skills!

✅ Bernardo de Gálvez Essay Contest:  Rules and Guidelines

1. Eligibility

• This essay contest is open to all students currently enrolled in grades 7-12 within Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia.

• You do NOT need to be a member of the Langley World Affairs Club to participate.

• Grade Level for Contest Eligibility: For the purposes of this essay contest, your grade level determines your category (Middle School or High School), regardless of your school's structure.

  • Middle School: Students currently enrolled in grades 7-8, even if those grades are part of an elementary or high school program.

  • High School: Students currently enrolled in grades 9-12, even if grade 9 is part of a middle school program.

• To ensure fairness and competitive balance, the World Affairs Club reserves the right to determine final eligibility for the middle school or high school category on a case-by-case basis.

• Language Requirement

  • The essay contest welcomes submissions from all FCPS students in grades 7-12, regardless of enrollment in Spanish classes. Essays may be submitted in either English or Spanish.
    
    

2. Essay Topic

"Bernardo de Gálvez: A Champion of American Independence and a Symbol of Enduring Spanish-American Friendship."

Essays should explore the following aspects:

🏅 Bernardo de Gálvez's contributions to the American Revolution, highlighting his military leadership, strategic brilliance, and crucial support for the Continental Army.

🗝️ The significance of Spanish involvement in the American Revolution, emphasizing the strategic alliance and its impact on the outcome of the war.

🤝 The enduring legacy of Gálvez and the historical relationship between Spain and the United States, focusing on shared values of freedom, democracy, and individual liberties.

🤔 Reflect on the importance of remembering historical figures like Gálvez and the lessons we can learn from the past to strengthen the present and future relationship between Spain and the U.S., shaping a more united and cooperative world for generations to come.

3. Essay Guidelines

• Word Limit: Maximum 650 words. Any words exceeding the limit will be truncated.   

• Originality: Essays must be original, unpublished work not entered in any other competition. Plagiarism will result in disqualification.

• AI Policy: While we encourage research, the essay must be primarily your own writing. The contest adheres to the College Board's guidelines on AI use. See the College Board AI Policy for details.

• Submission Method: Submit essays electronically using the "ready, set, click" button on this page. We suggest preparing and editing your essay in a separate Google Doc or MS Word document and pasting it into our application form to prevent accidental loss of work.  You will be asked for an Essay Title to help the judges distinguish it and remember it!

4. Alternative Submission Methods (If the Form Doesn't Work for you)

Some students using FCPS devices or school networks have reported trouble submitting via the Google Form.  If you’re having issues, don’t worry — you can still enter!

🐶  Alternative Submission Process:

Step 1: Notify Ryan

Before submitting, please send a separate email to let Ryan know you intend to submit your essay by email. Contact him at both of the following addresses: ryanminton09@gmail.com;  1652877@fcpsschools.net

Step 2: Submit Your Essay

In your submission email, please include the following:

• • First and last name

  • School name

  • Grade level

  • School email address

  • Personal email address (optional)

  • Essay title

  • Full essay (max 650 words)

  • Source info (what you consulted and how)

  • Confirm that you’ve read and agree to the Rules and Guidelines you're currently viewing on this page.

  • How you heard about the contest

  • (Optional) Would you like to receive updates from the Langley World Affairs Club?
    
    

🐶  Make sure Ryan responds to confirm he received your submission. He should reply within 24 hours. If you don’t hear back, please send a follow-up email requesting confirmation. Woof!

🐶  Need Help Formatting Your Submission?

While the online submission form is preferred, we understand that some students may have trouble accessing it. If you can’t access the form and would rather not email all your essay information, we’ve got you covered — you can use a template instead.

Just make a copy of the Google Doc template, fill in your information, save it as a PDF, and email it to us.

🔒 FCPS Student Account Template

If you're using your FCPS Google account (@fcpsschools.net), use this template:

📄 FCPS Google Doc Backup Template

🔓 Non-FCPS (Personal Gmail) Template

If you're on a personal Gmail or any other non-school account, use this version:

📄 Non-FCPS Google Doc Backup Template

📧 How to Submit Using a Template

• Complete your copy of the appropriate template

• Save your completed version as a PDF

• Email the PDF to both of the following addresses:

  • ryanminton09@gmail.com, 1652877@fcpsschools.net
    
    

🐶  Make sure Ryan responds to confirm he received your submission. He should reply within 24 hours. If you don’t hear back, please send a follow-up email requesting confirmation. Woof!

5. Judging Criteria

Essays will be evaluated on:

• Content and Analysis

• Structure and Communication

• Thoughtfulness

• Overall Quality and Impact

6. Prizes and Recognition
Middle School (Grades 7-8) and High School (Grades 9-12)

Separate awards will be given for Middle School and High School:

Middle School (Grades 7-8)
🥇 First Place
🥈 Second Place
🥉 Third Place  

High School (Grades 9-12)
🥇 First Place
🥈 Second Place
🥉 Third Place

🧭 Pioneer Award (Grades 7-12)
Every eligible FCPS student who submits an actionable and original essay will be honored with the Pioneer Award—a special recognition given separately and in addition to the formal First, Second, and Third Place contest awards. This award celebrates the first generation of students to step forward in this historic pilot, reflecting the enduring bond between the United States and Spain and honoring the spirit of alliances that have shaped America's founding and future.

Pioneer Award recipients will also be recognized by the Ambassador of Spain for their leadership, discovery, and contribution to a lasting legacy of diplomacy.

🏆 Awards Ceremony at the Embassy of Spain:
The spotlight will be on YOU at the prestigious Awards Ceremony at the Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. (schedule permitting). It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be recognized for your hard work by none other than the Ambassador to Spain and other key officials from the Embassy.

This exciting event highlights the strong bond between the U.S. and Spain, showing just how important your contribution to history and diplomacy truly is.

Bonus:
Outstanding essays may even make it to the contest website for the world to see (with student and parental consent). Get ready to shine and show everyone your amazing insights! 

7. 🗓️ 2025 Key Dates

🗓️ March 15, 2025: Essay Competition begins.

🗓️ May 15, 2025, 11:59 PM EST: Essay submission deadline.

🗓️ Early June 2025:  Winners will be notified.  Awards Ceremony at the Embassy of Spain, Washington, D.C. (schedule permitting, date TBD)

🐯  Important: Essays are being reviewed as they come in—but every essay will be judged equally, no matter when it’s submitted before the deadline. The current deadline is May 15, but we reserve the right to close submissions early based on volume.

Submitting earlier simply guarantees your spot—it won’t give you an advantage in scoring, but it will make sure your essay is in!

Don’t wait—submit your essay today!

For any questions, please contact Ryan Minton, President, Langley World Affairs Club, at ryanminton09@gmail.com or 1652877@fcpsschools.net.

8. Terms and Conditions

• Official Approval: The 2025 Bernardo de Gálvez Essay Contest, organized by the Langley World Affairs Club, has been reviewed and approved by Langley High School and the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Student Activities and Athletics Program (SAAP) office. Any questions regarding the official approval of this contest may be directed to Mr. Geoff Noto at Langley High School: 703-287-2750 or via email at: GJNoto@fcps.edu.

• Proofreading Policy: We're excited to see your own unique take on Bernardo de Gálvez! Your essay should be your own work, but we know a little help from friends can make it even better. Feel free to have someone proofread your essay and give you feedback. Just be sure to give them a shout-out on the submission form when asked! We believe in teamwork and honesty.

• Disqualification Policy: The Langley World Affairs Club reserves the right to disqualify any essay that violates the contest rules, contains inappropriate content, or is deemed plagiarized.

Submission Policy:

• Essays will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and early submission is strongly encouraged. While all entries are judged equally, the Langley World Affairs Club reserves the right to close submissions at any time before the May 15 deadline. Submit your essay soon to secure your spot!

• The Langley World Affairs Club reserves the right to:

  • Limit submissions by implementing a submission cap, which will be determined at the discretion of the Langley World Affairs Club.

  • Adjust or close the submission deadline if necessary.

  • Prioritize submissions based on the order they were received.

• Participants will be notified of any changes via this website.

• Only your first submission will be accepted.

• Clicking the submit button and receiving the immediate on-screen confirmation message indicates successful submission. If you do not see this confirmation message immediately after clicking submit, please contact Ryan Minton, President, Langley World Affairs Club, at ryanminton09@gmail.com or 1652877@fcpsschools.net.

• Feedback: No individual feedback on essays will be provided.

• Judges' Decisions: The decisions of the judges are final.
  
  

9. *Privacy Policy

• We are committed to protecting the privacy of all participants, especially minors. All personal information collected will be used solely for administering this contest.

• To inspire future students, we may publish outstanding essays on our website with student and parental/guardian consent.
  
  

10. Contact Information

For any questions, please contact Ryan Minton, President, Langley World Affairs Club, at ryanminton09@gmail.com or 1652877@fcpsschools.net.