2026 Essay Contest

The Detroit Section of Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) presents the 30th annual “Wonders of Plastics” essay contest. 
Open to all middle/junior high and high school students, the essay must meet the requirements outlined below.

1st Place Essay

Title: From Bricks to the Modern World
Author: Kabbo Paul
Grade: 11
School: Warren Mott High School

2nd Place Essay

Title: How Plastics Benefit Humankind
Author: Sabiha Safa
Grade: 11 Grade
School: Warren Mott High School

3rd Place Essay

Title: The Sterile Age: How Plastic Revolutionized Healthcare
Author: Sadia Al-Islam
Grade: 11
School: Warren Mott High School

5th Place Essay

Title: Fashionably Plastic
Author: Suhima Begum
Grade: 11 Grade
School: Warren Mott High School

Honorable Mention

Title: Plastics, the New Youth and the Expanding Future
Author: Emerson McGuire
Grade: 11
School: William D. Ford Career Technical Center

Cash Awards for 1st – 5th Place

1st Place:       $500 and publication in the SPE Detroit Section Newsletter
2nd Place:      $300
3rd Place:      $200
4th Place:      $100
5th Place:      $  50

1st place essay from the Northern Area

TitleBuilding the Future of Cars: One Polymer at a Time
Author: Emma Huang
Grade: 9
School: H.H. Dow High School

Cash Awards for 1st – 5th Place from both North and South Sections:

1st Place:       $500 and publication in the SPE Detroit Section Newsletter
2nd Place:      $300
3rd Place:      $200
4th Place:      $100
5th Place:      $  50

Topics to Consider:

  • Advantages of Plastics in Food Packaging
  • Creative Use of Recycled Plastics
  • How Plastics Benefit Humankind
  • Myths about the Bad Reputation of Plastics
  • Plastics in the Environment
  • Plastics Usefulness in Society
  • What Plastics Have Done for Me
  • How Plastics Improve our Lifestyle

Submit Essays by 2/27/26

Requirements for Submission:

Between 500 – 1,000 words.  Essay to be written in English, title to appear as heading on each page; no name on any page except the entry form that must accompany each essay. 

The organization structure of the essay should be “logical,” including the following considerations:  Introduction, Development, Thesis and Conclusion. 

Mechanics:  Spelling should be correct; syntax should be readable; punctuation should be conventional.  Essay should be free of sentence fragments.  Diction (word choice) should be appropriate to the subject and the writer’s understanding of the topic.  Point of view should be appropriate to the topic/subject and remain constant and consistent.  Footnotes and references must be included when necessary.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software for the SPE Detroit Section Essay Contest is prohibited and violations will result in disqualification from the contest.
 

Questions or more information contact:
Todd Hogan – North Contest Chair
[email protected], (989) 636-5303

Tom Miller – South Contest Chair
[email protected], (810) 986-6131