1. The purpose of this contest is to
celebrate the life teachings of
Mahatma Gandhi and to encourage
Rhode Island students in Grade 8
to think critically about, personally
connect with, and be challenged by
his legacy of nonviolence.
Gandhi Essay
Contest 2012–2013
Essay Prompt:
The Charkha, or Spinning Wheel, is one of the most powerful symbols of Gandhi’s philosophy of
nonviolence and service. Gandhi said “The message of the spinning wheel is much wider than its
circumference. Its message is one of simplicity, service to mankind, living so as not to hurt others,
creating an indissoluble bond between the rich and poor, capital and labour, the prince and the
peasant. Take to spinning to find peace of mind. The music of the wheel will be as balm to your soul.
I believe that the yarn we spin is capable of mending the broken parts of our life. The Charkha is the
symbol of non-violence on which all life, if it is to be real life, must be based. Service is not possible
unless it is rooted in love and ahimsa. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of
others” - MK Gandhi
Write a personal essay in which you (a) explain what you think Gandhi means by this quote
“Service is not possible unless it is rooted in love and ahimsa. The best way to find yourself
is to lose yourself in the service of others,” (b) discuss how you think this saying has meaning for
our world today, and (c) describe examples of what you have done or what you could do to make
the world a better place following Gandhi’s philosophy of service through love and nonviolence.
Who is eligible to participate? Criteria
All students in Grade 8 who attend Essays will be judged based on how well
public, private, parochial, or home they address the prompt, and whether
school programs in Rhode Island. they are well-written, thoughtful, and
memorable. Ideas should be developed
Award and clearly organized, using effective
Every student will receive a certificate of and grammatically correct language.
participation. Multiple winners will re- Submitting Your Essay
ceive additional awards and cash prizes. Please mail or deliver your original
essay with cover page and one
Essay guidelines additional copy to:
1. Format—personal essay.
Dr. Paul Bueno de Mesquita
2. Essay must be double-spaced, typed,
Attn: Gandhi Essay Contest
and a maximum of 3 pages (750 words).
URI Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies
3. 12-point font size, 1” margin. 74 Lower College Road
4. MLA format will be used for any in-text Kingston, RI 02881
citations and for the works cited page.
Deadline
Works cited page is not included in
Essays must be postmarked no later
page and word count.
than Wednesday, January 30, 2013
5. Cover page should include the following (Gandhi’s assasination date).
contact information: student name, grade,
student email, school email, mailing ad- Note
dress, telephone. Your name should only All winning essays become property of the
be on the cover page. Do not include contest sponsor.
your name or any identifying information Sponsors
anywhere else on the essay. Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies,
6. Please submit original and one University Honors Program,
additional copy of your essay. Be sure School of Education, and
to keep an additional copy for yourself Writing Program at the
because we will not return your essay. University of Rhode Island
Decisions will be announced May 1, 2013.
For more information
If you have questions, please email gandhiessay@etal.uri.edu
www.uri.edu/nonviolence/gandhiessay/
