Delaware Interfaith Power & Light will sponsor its second annual statewide essay contest with the theme, “RENEW: Reflective Essays on Nature, Earth and Their Wonders.”

RENEW is a platform for students to reflect, in writing, on the role of youth in climate action, growing concern over environmental justice and their sense of connectedness with the natural world.

All high school students in Delaware are eligible to participate and are asked to register through April 15 at delawareipl.org.

Topics are “Youth Climate Action,” “Environmental Justice” or “A Web of Wonders.” Essays should be original works with a maximum of 1,500 words on one of the three topics. They can be emailed between April 22 and May 7 to renew@delawareipl.org. 

There will be 10 cash awards, totaling $8,000.

Part of the inspiration for the contest came when Delaware Interfaith Power & Light hosted Michael Nelson and Kathleen Dean Moore, co-editors of “Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril,” for a monthly webinar. “Moral Ground” is a collection of essays presenting “a compelling call to honor our individual and collective moral responsibility to the planet.”

The contest’s judges, including Ms. Moore and Mr. Nelson, will review and identify winning essays. Scoring will be based on clarity, passion, attention to theme, creativity and effectiveness. An awards ceremony will be planned for this summer.

For information, visit delawareipl.org, email renew@delawareipl.org or call Charanjeet Singh Minhas at 302-359-2155.