Submission Information: Each student must submit one essay, along with documentation demonstrating completion of at least twenty volunteer service hours, to complete the requirements of the Florida Lottery Student Service Challenge. Essays must be submitted to your district/local educational agency’s designated Florida Lottery: Student Service Challenge coordinator by October 6, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

Labeling Requirements: Essays must include student’s name, home address, telephone number, school the student attends, grade level, title of the essay, and a word count. Essays must be no longer than five hundred words in length, written in English, and should be typed. Students will address only one of the prompt options throughout their response.

Public Disclosure: The Florida Public Records Act, located in Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, generally requires that all activities, including this activity, are open to the public. Therefore, all aspects of your involvement in this activity, including your essay, will be subject to public disclosure. Florida Department of Education and Florida Lottery may use excerpts from student essays in promotional materials.

Awards: Students who successfully complete all requirements of the Florida Lottery Student Service Challenge, including this essay submission, will be eligible for consideration. Up to 40 students in the district will be selected to receive a $500 award to be applied toward educational goals, courtesy of the Florida Lottery.

Complete Submissions Include:

• Release Form: Submit the completed Department of the Florida Lottery and Florida Department of Education Image and Media Release and Authorization for Minor form.
   
• Essay: Submissions must include the student's name, home address, telephone number, school, grade level, essay title, and word count. Essays must be typed, written in English, limited to 500 words, and address a single prompt.
   
• Service Hour Log: Submit a completed service hour log as an email attachment.

All documents must be submitted via email to: studentservicechallenge@leonschools.net.

Submission Deadline: October 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Important: If any required documents or information are missing, the application will not be considered, and the student will not be eligible for the award.

Choose one of the following prompts to respond to in your essay. Responses should follow the guidelines set forth in the Florida Lottery: Student Service Challenge Official Essay Rules and Guidelines.

Prompt 1:
The Florida Department of Education defines “citizenship” as “helping my neighbor, community and nation.” In what ways did you demonstrate citizenship through your volunteer service and how will this impact your future actions? Describe what you did, who it impacted and what you learned about your role in your community.

Prompt 2:
Imagine you are leading a promotional campaign to inspire younger students to demonstrate civic responsibility through community service. Describe your campaign, how you would reach your intended audience and the main points you would illustrate. How would your campaign motivate younger students to help their neighbors, community and nation now and throughout their lives?

Prompt 3:
Reflect on your experience completing the Florida Lottery: Student Service Challenge. Did you experience any barriers to completing the volunteer service hours? Explain the specific strategies you used to persevere and overcome them. Evaluate how your participation strengthened your sense of civic responsibility and identify the personal, academic or community benefits you gained. Finally, describe how this experience has influenced your commitment to continued civic engagement and outline concrete ways you plan to remain involved in your community moving forward.

Essay Rubric