2026 MWCC Essays

Winners of the 2026 Max Warburg Courage Curriculum Essay Contest 

Reachney Tep

Courage means being brave enough to overcome all obstacles, being enthusiastic, and daring to face all fear and worries while continuing to move forward to reach your goals. Almost every one of us has often experiences fearfulness. These kinds of bad situations exist that we all are fear and dare not face, situations when the best solution is to have courage in ourselves. We must have courage if we want to achieve our wishes to overcome all the problems.

Last year when I was in 7th grade, I started at a new school that is quite far from my house. The route that I now walk between my home and the new school is very deserted, even in the daytime. I feel very scared of being assaulted or robbed with no one to help me. Even though I am really scared of that road, and no matter how desolate and remote the road is, I will not quit my studies. I have harnessed all my courage to overcome my fear. I am proud that I have been able to continue my studies because of that courage I have within me. It is only because of this courage that I have earned good grades in my classes.

I believe that every one of us are afraid of dying. Right now, our hero soldiers Cambodia are showing that they are not afraid of death as they fight the border conflict with Thailand. They are the opposite of being scared to die. They are using their courage to protect our country from invaders. They are protecting our safety and helping us sustain the happiness of our country.

What I have learned from thinking about all this is that courage always brings us away from fear. It is an opportunity to keep moving forward toward the dreams we wish for, whether it is our studies, our work, or anything else.

Reaksmey Channa

Our society needs someone who is loaded with courage. If we don’t have courage everywhere we go in life, we will fail. Courage means to have no shyness or fear as we face challenges.

Here are some stories about my own courage. A few years ago, I went to visit my grandparents with my parents on their motorbike. My father was a little drunk and he drove the motorbike so fast that I was worried we might cause an accident. I tried to tell my father to please drive slower so that we wouldn’t hit someone else on the road. Even though he was drunk, my father listened to me and slowed down to drive more safely.

Another day my father and my mom were talking about their business and they began to argue. My father then hit my mother. First, I cried out that I was so sorry to my mom for this. In my sudden shock, I raised my two hands to pay my respect to my father begging him not to use violence on my mom anymore. A little while later they forgave each other and from that day on, I told myself that I would not leave my mom alone with my father. But I also realized that I must be strong in every situation that I face no matter what the problem is. So even though my parents would often argue, I knew that I must keep studying hard to fulfill my wish to help my family rise up from poverty.

Because my parents argued a lot, they got divorced and my father went away when I was 10 years old, never to return. My mom has tried to work very hard, no matter how hard the job is so she can earn money to support me and my brother, feeding us and letting us go to school. Even though we faced these problems without my father, I knew I must try hard to study so that one day I will have a bright future. I know now that this is my courage helping me to succeed.

Courage changed my life to be better in many ways. I was very scared of asking teachers for help, but now I am not. I dare to ask when I need an explanation in school. I hope that I will always retain this courage within me forever. I would like to recommend to the next generation of brothers and sisters everywhere to please have the courage to keep trying hard to study, dare to face all the problems around you, as well as dare to help by doing chores for your family and help others in your community when you have free time from studying.

For more information about the Max Warburg Courage Curriculum: maxcourage.org