It's that time of the year again for Vermont high schoolers to send in their submissions for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' annual State of the Union Essay Contest.

The State of the Union Essay Contest, which is entering its 15th year, challenges high school students to identify critical problems facing the nation and propose potential solutions in a written format. Winners are announced prior to the annual State of the Union address, which the U.S President delivers before Congress to emphasize the upcoming year's biggest priorities.

"The purpose of this contest is to get young people to start thinking about the many important issues that we deal with every day," said Sanders in a Nov. 26 press release. "All people have the right to express their views and help shape the direction in which our country goes — and that includes young people. I want to see our students be actively engaged, no matter where they stand on the issues."

Essays should range between 250 to 500 words and can revolve around any subject of "national importance." Previous essay topics included climate change, racial justice, mental health care access, immigration reform, disability rights, political polarization and more.

Essays will be judged by a volunteer panel made up of Vermont educators on the applicant's ability to articulate a problem and present a solution — regardless of political views. Finalists will be invited to a roundtable discussion at the Vermont State House and their essays will be entered into the official archive of the U.S. Congress.

More than 6,100 Vermont high school students have entered the State of the Union essay contest over the past 14 years. Last year's winner was Leah Frisbie of Essex High School, whose essay on banning books from school libraries was selected out of 454 submissions.

The submission deadline is Jan. 14.

For more information, including how to submit your essay, visit Sanders' website , call 800-339-9834 or email [email protected].