The Philosophy in Schools Association of NSW invites NSW secondary students to submit
an essay to our sixth annual 2024 Essay Competition, proudly sponsored by the Royal
Society of NSW Southern Highlands.
2024 Winners:
1st place – Olga Nikolaeva
2nd place – Vivien Tang
3rd place – Ila Bains
Judge: Dr Dejan Šimković, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy
Download information about the 2024 competition here.
2023 Winners
1st place: Leah Har; Meriden
2nd place: Nidhi Nellore; Meriden
3rd place: Anjali Kailasanathan; Meriden
Judge: Jennifer Duke-Yonge
2023 Competition
Download information about the 2023 competition here: https://www.philosophyinschoolsnsw.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/PinS-NSW-Essay-Competition-Guidelines-2023.docx677.pdf
“As a teacher who runs Philosophy Club, I really value the opportunity that the Philosophy Essay Competition gives to students to consider a philosophical question or issue in greater depth and to conduct their own independent reading and research into this area. In the 2 years that we have entered, I find that the Essay Competition gives a voice to those students who are not always confident to speak readily or respond quickly in a Community of Inquiry, but this competition gives them time to reflect and think deeply and compose a response that is relevant to them and their lives”. – Priscilla Curran, Meriden
2022 Winners
1st place: Jasmine Ye; Meriden
2nd place: Ariane Saywell; Loreto
3rd place: Isabella Yaw; Meriden
Judge: Michaelis Michael
For information about the 2022 competition
Click here to view Jasmine’s essay
2021 Winners
1st place: Sneha Shygale; Meriden
2nd place: Yu Ming Lee; Sydney Boys High School
3rd place: Yaohong (Sherry) Jiang; North Sydney Girls High School
Judge: Dr Sandra Lynch
2020 Winners
1st place: Lucia Gelonesi; SCEGGS Darlinghurst
2nd place: Sarah Kostoglou; Meriden
3rd place: Dunja Dudic; Meriden
Judge: Prof Matthew del Nevo
2019 Winners
1st place – Annabel Chen, North Sydney Girls High School
2nd place – Ivy Ngo-Nguyen, Meriden
3rd place – Rifah Ahmed, Strathfield Girls High School
Judge: Dr Phil Cam