London Calling: Grayson M. ’26 Receives Commendation from the John Locke Institute

When Grayson M. ’26 traveled to London earlier this month, it wasn’t just to see Parliament or Big Ben—it was to be recognized at one of the world’s most prestigious academic competitions: the John Locke Institute’s 2025 Global Essay Prize Awards Dinner.

Hosted annually by the Oxford-based John Locke Institute, the Global Essay Prize invites high school students worldwide to explore complex questions across seven disciplines: philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law. Encouraged by friends in the class of 2025 who had participated last year, Grayson decided to take on the Psychology prompt: “What is self-deceit?”

“It sounded interesting. Psychology is not what I want to study in college, but it’s something I’m interested in. So when I saw the question, I thought, ‘That's so cool! I want to try it.' And so I spent about a month working on it over the summer. When it was done, I didn’t stress too much because I knew I tried my best.”

Grayson knew the odds of moving forward in the competition were statistically slim. More than 63,000 students from around the world submitted their work. Nevertheless, his diligent efforts paid off: in August, he learned that he had made the coveted shortlist.

“It was exciting to learn that my essay ranked in the top 10%,” he recalls. “It didn’t fully sink in until later, when I thought, ‘Wow: I get to go to London!’”

At the Institute’s black-tie gala at London’s historic Grosvenor House, students and scholars from around the world gathered to celebrate intellectual curiosity and achievement. Essays were awarded First, Second, and Third place in each subject, followed by a select number of commendations—one of which Grayson proudly received.

The experience, he says, was well worth the hard work, and he hopes other Canterbury students will consider applying in the future.

“It wasn’t easy, but it’s very doable if you’re intentional with your time and preparation,” he advises would-be contestants. “Even if you don’t win, it’s a good exercise to stretch those mental muscles.”

Congratulations, Grayson!