The JFK Library Foundation Profile in Courage Essay Contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. Past winners and finalists are not eligible to participate. All students must list the name of their nominating teacher on the registration form. The role of a nominating teacher is to provide students with support and advice during the writing of their essay. Nominating teachers are also asked to read students' essays to make suggestions for improvement before they are submitted to the essay contest. The maximum word count for the essay is 1,000 with a minimum of 700, not including citations and bibliography. Applicants must use at least five varied sources such as government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews. Please visit the award's website for more information.