AWARD ELIGIBILITY/CRITERIA

In the spirit of the poem “Invictus,” which is Latin for unconquered or undefeated, participating students should write a narrative/memoir essay that focuses on a challenging time in their life and how they responded to the adversity. The essay is meant to be inspirational, providing readers with a real-life account of personal challenge and the means to confront that challenge. It should be written as creative storytelling.

Participants should be Lapeer High School graduating seniors in good standing academically and in the community.

The essay must not be created with the assistance of AI or any other artificial intelligence. It cannot be plagiarized or written by anyone else but the participant. 

The essay must not have been published previously.

Each student may only submit one entry.

The essay should be three pages long, in 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced, and created as a Word document. 

It should include an original and compelling title along with the student’s name and contact information.

The deadline for essay submission is Friday, April 17, 2026, by 3 PM. Students should submit their essays to the LHS Counseling Office. 

Students should also make a copy of the essay for their own files. 

The winning essay will be published in some manner, and the winning author will receive $500. 

To apply, please visit lhs.lapeerschools.org/o/lhs/page/scholarships.