A Voice for Animals 2026
Introduction
The Humane Education Network and the Animal Welfare Institute are excited to present the 36th annual A Voice for Animals Contest for high schoolers across the globe. Our contest is an exciting opportunity to make a difference for animals and possibly get rewarded in the process. The competition has sections for 14–15-year-old students and sections for 16–18-year-old students.
Participants must currently be enrolled in middle or high school, or be home-schooled, and less than 19 years of age on February 2nd, 2026 (the date the contest opened for entries). No exceptions!
The contest is open to all otherwise eligible students worldwide regardless of nationality, citizenship, or country of residence. ESL entries are welcome.
Description
Participants are invited to submit an essay or video entry that addresses either the mistreatment of one animal species or one cause of animal suffering; or the preservation of one endangered species, occurring anywhere in the world, and potential solutions to alleviate animal suffering. The entry should fall into one of the following categories: Companion Animals, Farm Animals, Wildlife on Land, Wildlife in the Oceans, Insects/Invertebrates, or this year's special category: The Endangered Species Act. You will need to choose one of these when you submit your entry.
Your submission must:
be the original work of the author or authors;
show clearly which animal issue you chose to address and why;
include accurate citations of any quotes or references used to support your work.
All submissions must be made using this website. Please note that entries submitted any other way (e.g. via e-mail or the postal service) will not be accepted.
You are strongly advised to read all the rules and advice for participants.
Essay Submissions
Entrants in the Essay section are invited to submit an essay that educates and inspires your peers or members of your community. Essays must be no less than 1400 words and no more than 1500 words excluding citations, page headers and footers.
Video Submissions
Entrants in the Video section can submit either a video showcasing a project that you have been involved with for at least two months, or a video that educates and inspires your peers. Videos should be between 3-4 minutes long and show clearly which animal issue you chose to address and why.
Project-Based Videos: The project should be worked on for at least two months and should have an impact on animals by means of either direct or indirect intervention. Your submission will document the project, your contribution to that project and, where possible, show how your project/involvement could alleviate animal suffering.
Educational Videos: The submission should include clear objectives defining what your audience will learn by the end, as well as a call to action letting viewers know what they can do to help alleviate animal suffering. Don’t forget to include images, animations, or infographics to reinforce the key concepts covered in your presentation.
Selection Process
Contest judges will begin reviewing entries after the contest closes on May 25th, 2026. They will be looking for interesting topics, clear solutions to the problem covered, and thorough research from credible sources. Winners will be announced in July 2026.