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Earth Day Essay Challenge

Vermont Attorney General's Office Fourth Annual Earth Day Essay Challenge

The Vermont Attorney General wants to hear from young Vermonters about the environment. The Attorney General’s Office is holding an Earth Day Essay Challenge for 5th and 6th graders all around Vermont to submit essays on Earth Day and the environment.

Essay Topics: Students are encouraged to be creative and write about their thoughts on Earth Day and the environment. Ideas include: What do you love about Vermont’s environment—clean air, wildlife, lakes, rivers, mountains? How do you enjoy Vermont’s environment? What do you care about most? What does Earth Day mean to you? Do you have any concerns about the future of the environment? How does Vermont’s changing environment impact wildlife habitat, our health, recreation, winter sports, farming, communities, or other things? What do you think we should do to help protect the environment? You do not need to cover any or all of these topics—these are just ideas!

How to Submit: The timeline to submit essays runs through April 5, 2024. Essays should be no more than 1,000 words. At the top of your essay, please include (i) your first name, (ii) your school (or indicate home school), and (iii) your grade. Essays can be submitted electronically to the Attorney General’s Office by email to natasha.sala@vermont.gov. Please attach the essay to the email as a Word or PDF document. If your teacher does not send your essay, please include the name of your teacher in your email. We are also happy to accept essays by mail if that would be easier. The mailing address is:

          Vermont Attorney General
          Attn: Environmental Protection Unit
          109 State Street
          Montpelier, VT 05609

What Else? All essays will be posted on the Attorney General Office’s public website unless a participant indicates they do not wish to have their essay posted. Essays will be posted on or around Earth Day. Posted essays will include a participant’s first name, their school, and their grade. 

Each student who submits an essay will receive individual feedback from a member of the Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Unit or the Attorney General. This feedback will be provided after the essay challenge is over. (Please indicate on your essay if you prefer not to receive feedback.)

Participants will also be entered into a drawing to have the Attorney General speak with their classroom after the essay challenge is over.

For Teachers: Teachers who have students participating in the Challenge and who would like to have an Environmental Protection Unit attorney speak with their class about the environmental work of the Attorney General’s Office during the event period should contact Natasha Sala at natasha.sala@vermont.gov.

Click Here To Read The 2023 Earth Day Essays

Click Here To Read The 2022 Earth Day Essays

Click Here To Read The 2021 Earth Day Essays