We are delighted to publish the two winning essays in our recent Jesus College Essay Competition, run in collaboration with the University’s Oxplore programme.
This annual competition is for pupils in years 8–11 who attend a state school in one of our link regions of Wales and the London boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth.
Participants were challenged to submit a 750 word essay answering one of the Oxplore Big Questions; Could we end disease? Do aliens exist? Does truth exist? Is a robot a person? Is it okay to ban certain books? Is it okay to judge people?
The competition opened in April, and we had some fantastic submissions. The essays were reviewed and marked by a team of current Jesus College students: Abi, Arron and Kate, who were not only keen to support this outreach activity but excited to read how entrants would approach the task at hand.
The winning essay was written by Gabriella, a year 10 student from from Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, Caerphilly, who tackled the question ‘Does truth exist?’
The runner-up was Eva, a year 8 student at Afon Taf High School, Merthyr Tydfil, who wrote in answer to the question ‘Is it okay to ban certain books?’
Judge Kate says: I thoroughly enjoyed reading students’ submissions to this year’s essay competition. Their responses to the questions were thoughtful, and there were many unique and interesting perspectives on the topics available. Well done to everyone who wrote an essay!