The Fountain Hills Coalition’s Seventh Annual High School Essay Contest is open for local students to take part in, with two weeks left for interested youngsters to take part.

Entry forms and contest rules will be available in all Fountain Hills High School English classrooms, the Fountain Hills Branch Library and online at FHCoalition.org. The deadline to mail entries is Jan. 31. Prizes for this year’s essay contest include $1,000 for first place, $300 for second place and $100 for third.

Interested students are encouraged to write an essay of 750 words or less on one of the following prompts:

1. When you think about technology, particularly electronic devices, and its impact on your generation, what do you think your generation may be in the process of losing? What do you think your generation has gained because of these devices? Discuss whether or not the benefits outweigh the costs.

2. In adolescence, your peers become the most influential group as you navigate in finding your identity and in making decisions that shape your future. However, being in the wrong peer groups can cause problems. How do you deal with peer pressure? What strategies do you use? How have you been empowered to deal with peer pressure? How can your experience empower others?

3. Identify a fictional character from a book or movie with whom you can connect and write about that connection and how that character has affected your life or the way you think.