Join us as a MAXCourage Virtual Judge and make a direct impact by reviewing powerful stories of courage written by students from around the world. As a volunteer judge, you'll be invited to share your perspective and help select which essays will be nominated for publication in The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond. 

This year, MAXCourage is hosting a private virtual session exclusively for Andover. This is a great opportunity to connect with the Andover community from any location, support young writers, and participate in a meaningful non sibi project! 

Saturday, February 7, 2026
10 a.m.–noon ET
Hosted virtually (MAXCourage will provide the link)

MAXCourage will share essays and a judge's guide one week before the virtual session. Approximately two hours of asynchronous prep time is required. On judging day, Andover participants will work together virtually as a team to review, deliberate, and select final essays for publication. All student essayists will be honored.

The thirty-fifth annual is a national and international contest that encourages students from diverse backgrounds to use their writers' voices and share personal narratives about exceptional acts of courage in their communities and in their lives. MAXCourage empowers students to discover the value of courage and to develop English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency. MAXCourage has served over 220,000 students since its inception. To learn more about MAXCourage's mission, . 

Questions? Kindly contact Lori Paglia in the Office of Alumni Engagement.