Charis C. in Year 9 is on the shortlist for the John Locke Institute Global Essay Competition

Year 9 student Charis C. has been shortlisted for a prize in the internationally renowned John Locke Essay Competition 2025, placing her in the top 18% of more than 63,000 entries worldwide.

In her essay, ‘Tax, take or theft: the debate on living off others’, Charis explores Marxism, egalitarianism, libertarianism, and the legitimacy of claiming the fruits of another’s labour. Her ability to grapple with the thorny topic of tax highlights not only her intellectual curiosity but also her willingness to engage with one of the most enduring social debates.

At St Mary’s, where students are encouraged to step beyond their comfort zones in a supportive, non-judgmental environment, Charis found the confidence to take on the challenge of the structured argumentative essay, using it to develop her key skills of critical analysis, logical reasoning, and careful referencing.

Charis has a self-confessed passion for politics and says that the competition question provided the perfect opportunity to explore politics, the economy in general, and how philosophers grapple with world-wide issues where there is no definitive answer. Rather than trying to formulate her own, single opinion, Charis said she deliberately ‘sat on the fence’ to try and understand the argument from all sides. Quoting Wayne Dyer, she explained:

‘If you change the way you see things, then the things you see will change.’

Charis already has a growing reputation as a writer. She was named Anti-Racism Journalist of the Year in the Global Young Journalist Awards 2023, won the St Mary’s Poetry Competition in 2024, and continues to write prolifically in her free time.

Read more about "nurturing the intellectual humility and the courage to think differently" with the John Locke Institute

October 2025