John Kabashinski Vice President, Marketing & Communications | Character.Org
For the past four years, Character.org has invited students from grades 4-12 to reflect on a core value that holds significant meaning for them. This initiative, known as the "Laws of Life Essay Contest," is supported by a grant from The School for Ethical Education. The contest originated in 1987 in Winchester, Tennessee, thanks to philanthropist John Templeton. Templeton believed these core values were akin to universal laws such as gravity.
In the recent year, Character.org received 2,037 essays from students across 29 countries. A panel comprising retired educators, Sandy Award recipients, and donors was tasked with reviewing and scoring the essays through three cycles of review. The primary criterion was whether an essay "fired up your neurons or plucked your heartstrings."
Wendy Horbinski of Character.org recently informed six students—three from the United States and three international—that their essays had been selected as "Most Compelling." Additionally, she contacted 62 other students whose essays were recognized as "Exemplary." All 68 essays are now available on the Character.org website.
The content of these essays reveals various core values prioritized by students. Fifteen participants focused on values described by Angela Duckworth as "strengths of will," such as grit and perseverance. Ten highlighted "strengths of heart," including kindness and empathy. Nine emphasized moral character traits like honesty and integrity.
Some unique perspectives emerged: three students wrote about gratitude; another three discussed courage; others addressed optimism and friendship's role in belonging and loyalty. Family inspiration was noted by two writers who emphasized how their families motivated them to become better individuals.
A diverse array of other values also appeared in student writings: humor, mindfulness, creativity, vulnerability, ambition, personal growth, and open-mindedness were among them.
Many essays centered around personal experiences that illuminated particular core values. Several narratives featured grandparents modeling specific virtues—a sentiment echoed through references to popular culture figures like Taylor Swift.
Students employed inspiring language throughout their work. One high schooler remarked on empathy's transformative power over systemic change: “While policy and law may shape systems; it is empathy and vulnerability that transform lives.” Another student likened fairness to preventing chaos during a game gone awry: “Fairness keeps things from turning into complete chaos... we can all try our best to make things as fair as possible.”
Perseverance stood out prominently among submissions—with one poignant insight from a high schooler's reflection: “Even if I did acquire resilience from a painful chapter in my life... it made me stronger.”
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