2026 President’s Day Essay Contest Ends Late February For Grades 3-5: How Would You Improve Your Community, Country As President?
Malliotakis Announces 2026 Presidents’ Day Essay Contest
Editor’s note: We also announced this contest opening last year.
(STATEN ISLAND/BROOKLYN, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis announced the launch of her annual Presidents’ Day Essay Contest. This annual contest invites students in grades 3-5 who reside in or attend school in New York’s 11th Congressional District to share their ideas on how they would improve their community and country as President of the United States.
“I’m happy to kick off this year’s Presidents’ Day Essay Contest, an opportunity for local students to engage in civics and share their ideas,” said Congresswoman Malliotakis. “In years past, students have focused on everything from public safety and litter to homelessness and animal welfare. We look forward to hearing from our youth about the issues that are important to them and their families and how they believe Washington can improve our community.”
Winners will receive a certificate of recognition, a gift card to a local bookstore & will be invited to a pizza party where they will have the opportunity to discuss their ideas with Congresswoman Malliotakis.
CONTEST DETAILS:
- Submission deadline is Friday, February 27, 2026
- The contest is open to students in grades 3-5 who reside or attend school in New York’s 11th Congressional District.
- Essays must not exceed 400 words in length.
- Submit essays by email as an attached Word Document or PDF to [email protected].
- To be considered, essays must include the student’s first & last name, school, grade, class, along with parent or guardian’s name & contact information.
Banner Image: Presidents on Mount Rushmore. Image Credit – Maria Larsen
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was sworn in on January 3, 2021 to represent Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn. Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010, defeating a two-term incumbent. In the Assembly, she served as Minority Whip and the ranking minority member of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Employees. For five terms, Congresswoman Malliotakis fought to restore ethics in Albany, expand transit service in her district, improve programs for senior citizens, reform education and improve New York’s economic climate by reducing the tax burden on small businesses and residents. A cornerstone of her tenure was helping her community recover and rebuild following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In addition to advocating for these same issues in Washington, Congresswoman Malliotakis is acutely focused on securing New York’s fair share of federal mass transit funding, which would go towards expanding transportation services and easing traffic congestion, while also championing public safety by supporting our nation’s law enforcement officers. Congresswoman Malliotakis is the daughter of immigrants, her father from Greece and her mother a Cuban exile of the Castro dictatorship. She is currently the only Republican member representing New York City in Congress, representing a district spanning the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. She is a passionate advocate for animal rights and the strengthening of animal cruelty laws, and in her spare time, enjoys spending time with her chihuahua, Peanut.
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[…] note: We covered the announcement of this contest earlier this year by Rep. Malliotakis. We also covered the winners of 2024’s contest, along with other contests by local […]