We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Libra Essay Writing Competition 2025. After weeks of readingand reviewing, we have selected the top submissions that exemplified creativity, clarity, originality, and strong command of language.

This year's edition saw an overwhelming response, with entries pouring in from passionate students around the globe. The overall quality of the submissions was exceptionally high, making the selection process both inspiring and challenging. We are genuinely impressed by the creativity and effort demonstrated across the board. Many writers tackled complex subjects such as mental health, technology’s role in society, and personal identity with commendable depth, among others.

We would like to take this opportunity to share a bit about the review process and why some entries, despite being promising, were not selected for the final shortlist:

- Clarity and Structure: A few essays, while rich in ideas, lacked a clear structure or had underdeveloped arguments, making them difficult to follow.

- Originality: Some topics were widely chosen, and although many offered personal takes, a few did not sufficiently distinguish themselves in approach or insight.

- Adherence to Guidelines: Unfortunately, several entries were disqualified due to exceeding word limits, missing citations, or using the wrong format. We encourage candidates entering other competitions to read specifications very carefully to ensure their entries follow the organisation’s guidelines.

- Language: A few entries lost marks because they contained spelling or punctuation mistakes. Reviewing texts is essential and asking somebody else to read it for you before submission is strongly recommended.

Regardless of the outcome, we encourage all participants to keep writing and researching—many entries showed great potential, and with refinement, could certainly become publishable pieces. Many fell just one-point short of being selected as the winner for their category.

The Winners

• 1st Place and best in the Philosophy Category: Odera Chibuzor - Cardiff Sixth Form.

• 2nd Place and best in the Economics Category: Arya Mandiwar - Queen Elizabeth School.

• 3rd Place and best in the Politics Category: Isabella Martins - St. Mary’s School Ascot.

Commendations

The following essays captured the judges' attention for their thoughtful topics and strong writing.

• Best in the Arts Category: Allegra Thomson - St. Paul’s Girls School.

• Best in the Science Category: Indiana Leech - The Marist.

• Best in the Law Category: Nabiha Javed - Capital City College.

• Best in the Maths Category: Samrath Sareen - Queen Elizabeth School Barnet.

• Best in the English Category: Ava Pinto - Coulsdon Sixth Form.

• Best in the History Category: Harriet Brookfield - Lancing College.

Eligible for a Libra Education Consultancy Scholarship

• Aakriti Khaitan - Kendrick School

• Amanda Ranjbar - Beaumont School

• Arwen Shah - Greenwood High School

• Arya Mandirwar - Queen Elizabeth School

• Cara Field - Kendrick School

• Deeksha Pujar - Kendrick School

• Eshar Noor - Park Hall Academy

• Ifeoluwa Shitta - Urmston Grammar School

• Ivanka Chu - King Edward VI Camp Hill

• Kayla Tonada - Bishop Ullathorne Catholic School

• Laksh Aggarwal - Queen Elizabeth Boys’ School

• Nabiha Javed - Capital City College

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in this competition. Your voices, your stories, and your perspectives matter—and we are honored that you chose to share them with us. Keep an eye on our blog in the coming weeks, as we’ll be publishing the top essays for everyone to enjoy.

Libra Essay Prize 2025