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Each year, the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees challenges 4-H members from all over the country to submit an essay on a topic related to honey bees. Each state chooses its finalist and submits his or her essay to the Foundation for judging. Your Nebraska 4-H contact is listed below. Submit your essay to the State 4-H Contact below, as the NE state submission deadline is Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Contest Information
2026 Essay Topic: The Power of Pollen
For this essay, a 4-H student should answer these questions:
- How is pollen important to bees?
- Has pollen been changing in plants and in our landscapes? If so, are those changes affecting bees?
- When do you observe the most and least pollen in your colonies and how does that impact their temperament and productivity?
Eligibility: The 2026 National 4-H Beekeeping Essay Competition is open to active 4-H Club members only.
Any 4-H Club member who placed first, second or third in previous years of the national competition is NOT eligible to win in 2026; however, state competition winners remain eligible to enter the national competition. Essays entered must encompass the designated topic only. There will be no exceptions.
Competition Rules & Essay Requirements: Any 4-H Club member interested in writing an essay should see below competition details. The state selection process must be completed through the 4-H system. Failure to meet any one of the essay requirements will result in disqualification.
Essay Requirements for National Judging: Essays must be typewritten or computer-generated on single-sided pages and formatted following standard manuscript format using double-spaced type and 12pt font in a legible font face.
Essays must encompass the designated topic in 750 to 1,000 words. Word count does not include sources, works cited, or the writer’s biographical statement. All factual statements and interview references must be cited in a “sources” or “bibliography.”
Essays will be judged on (a) scope of research, 40%; (b) accuracy, 30%; (c) creativity, 10%; (d) conciseness, 10%; and (e) logical development of the topic, 10%.
On a separate page, please include a brief biographical statement of the writer including mailing address, email address, and phone number. The statement “I verify that AI was not used to create this essay" must also be included at the bottom of the essay and signed.
The deadline for NE state submission is April 15, 2026.
Send Essay entries to State 4-H Contact: Judy Wu-Smart at jwu-smart@unl.edu
National Awards: Winners will be announce June 15, 2026
Three cash prizes will be awarded in the 2026 National 4-H Beekeeping Essay Competition. The author of the highest-scoring essay will win first prize. The author of the second-highest scoring essay will win second prize. The author of the third-highest scoring essay will win third prize.
First Prize: $750
Second Prize: $500
Third Prize: $250
In addition to the cash prizes, National Board also pay expenses for the top three to attend the next annual American Beekeeping Conference and Tradeshow, January 12-16, 2027.
The three prize-winning essays will be published in the ABF Quarterly, the magazine of the American Beekeeping Federation as well as the national trade magazines. All authors of essays submitted to the national competition will receive a relevant book on honey bees, beekeeping, or honey.