The Island’s senior school students have been challenged to express themselves on the theme of thankfulness with the chance at a $1,000 grant. Any secondary school student is eligible for the Tom Pettit Thanksgiving Essay Competition, now in its 14th year of encouraging young journalists.The winning essayist wins a $1,000 grant, with finalists receiving $500 grants. Each winner’s school will be given matching grants.Supported by sponsors including Orbis Investment Management Ltd, Edmund Gibbons Ltd and the XL Foundation, the competition challenges young writers to capture the positive aspects of their lives in 500 words or less. The competition has given out more than $70,000 to students and their schools since it was founded. It is named after late NBC television correspondent Tom Pettit, who lived briefly in Bermuda.Entry details are available at school head offices. Entries must be handed in at the Rosedon Hotel in Pembroke by November 2, at 4.30pm. The panel of judges for this year’s competition includes Julie Foggo, Ministry of Education teacher mentor; Bermuda Sun senior reporter Raymond Hainey; educator Florenz Maxwell; Sirkka Huish, Royal Gazette senior reporter, and Economy Minister Kim Wilson.