Essay Contests » Winners From Previous Years » 2008 Anthem Essay Contest

Anthem Cover

First Place

  • Adam Perelman, The Harker School, San Jose, CA, USA Read Essay

Second Place

  • Tristan Aumentado Armstrong, Foundations for the Future Charter Academy, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • Dinah DeWald, Arizona School for the Arts, Phoenix, AZ, USA
  • Emilie Finke, Lutheran South Academy, Houston, TX, USA
  • Will Heberlein, Pomona High School, Arvada, CO, USA
  • Margaret Johnson, Glynn Academy, Brunswick, GA, USA

Third Place

  • Jennifer Chan, Harvard-Westlake High School, North Hollywood, CA, USA
  • Jennifer Choi, Sunny Hills High School, Fullerton, CA, USA
  • Sarah Crestol, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Richard Fang, I.H. Kempner High School, Sugar Land, TX, USA
  • Branden Lewiston, Indianola High School, Indianola, IN, USA
  • Angela Li, Cypress Falls High School, Houston, TX
  • Jared Peterson, Westlake High School, Austin, TX, USA
  • Nancy Roane, Paul W. Bryant High School, Cottondale, AL, USA
  • Michael Saulle, Harborfields High School, Greenlawn, NY, USA
  • Marija Zaruba, Sahuaro High School, Tuscon, AZ, USA

Finalists

  • Neil Bedi, West Windsor Plainsboro High School North, Plainsboro, NJ, USA
  • Maria Bee, Bethel-Tate High School, Bethel, OH, USA
  • Laura Bitely, Preston High School, Kingwood, WV, USA
  • Julie Cheng, Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, MD, USA
  • Samidha Datta, Hilliard Darby High School, Hilliard, OH, USA
  • Summer Dowd-Lukesh, Claremont High School, Claremont, CA, USA
  • Phoebe Driscoll, Palisades High School, Pacific Palisades, CA, USA
  • Matt Elkins, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ, USA
  • Andrew Frey, Bayside High School, Bayside, NY, USA
  • Reed Gerberick, Mariemont High School, Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • Soumya Ghosh, Libertyville High School, Libertyville, IL, USA
  • Kyla Gilbert-Heaney, MacDonald High School, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
  • Isabel Grayce, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Kathryn Greene, Glynn Academy, Brunswick, GA, USA
  • Anagha, Hanumante, Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans, LA, USA
  • EJ Hardebeck, Timberline High School, Lacey, WA, USA
  • Lisa Hawkins, Timbercrest High School, Woodinville, WA, USA
  • Swathi Jayavel, Cooper High School, New Hope, MN, USA
  • Judy Kamali, John L. Miller, Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY, USA
  • Katherine Knox, Seminole High School, Sanford, FL, USA
  • Isaac Kolding, Lake Havasu High School, Lake Havasu City, AZ, USA
  • Marisa Kramer, Hellgate High School, Missoula, MT, USA
  • Elizabeth Laboda-Lyman, Mariemont High School, Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • Hetali Lodaya, Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
  • Elizabeth Mealey, The Hartsbrook School, Hadley, MA, USA
  • Alex Melville, Woodstock Union High School, Woodstock, VT, USA
  • William Murphy, Kirksville Senior High School, Kirksville, MO, USA
  • Howard Nguyen, Patrick Henry High School, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Nikki Nguyen, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Margaret Norbeck, Cedar Cliff High School, Camp Hill, PA, USA
  • Jatan Patel, Hamilton High School, Chandler, AZ, USA
  • Melina Peterson, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA,USA
  • Jenny Pham, Irvine High School,Irvine, CA, USA
  • Marlena Santos, Victor High School, Victor, NY, USA
  • Kendra Sokol, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport, TN, USA
  • Anne Solomon, Padua Academy, Wilmington, DE, USA
  • Matthew Stafford, South Lyon East High School, South Lyon, MI, USA
  • Danielle Stoner, Gananda Central School District, Macedon, NY, USA
  • Katie Sumner, Cannon School, Concord, NC, USA
  • Andrew Sweeney, Dexter High School, Dexter, MO, USA
  • Kimmy Tarde, Thunder Ridge High School, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
  • Morgan Thomas, Gulf Breeze High School, Gulf Breeze, FL, USA
  • Andy Tuck, Traverse City Christian School, Traverse City, MI, USA
  • Gino Warnick, Hanover Area Junior/Senior High School, Hanover Township, PA, USA
  • Amanda Wolkin, North Springs High School, Atlanta, GA, USA

Semi-Finalists

  • Joey Adams, Hicksville Exempted Village Schools, Hicksville, OH, USA
  • Yared Admasse, C. Douglas Killough Lewisville High School—North, Lewisville, TX, USA
  • Adisbelkis Alvarez, Southwest Miami High School, Miami, FL, USA
  • David, Amato, The Tome School, North East, MD, USA
  • Salonee Athavale, Muncie Central High School, Muncie, IN, USA
  • Khin-Kyemon Aung, Willoughby South High School, Willoughby, OH, USA
  • Pamela, Belitch, Port Charlotte High School, Port Charlotte, FL, USA
  • Laura Bello, Bow High School, Bow, NH, USA
  • Kyle Benzing, Lake Shore Senior High School, Angola, NY, USA
  • Stephanie Berci, Natomas Charter School, Sacramento, CA, USA
  • Marissa Bertulfo, Aiea High School, Aiea, HI, USA
  • Emily Biegas, Grosse Pointe North High School, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, USA
  • Cooper Bowen, Marble Falls High School, Marble Falls, TX, USA
  • Abby Brennan, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
  • Chelsea Brennan, North Springs High School, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • Michael Buchanan, Homestead High School, Fort Wayne, IN, USA
  • Karen Burtt, Miramonte High School, Orinda, CA, USA
  • Theresa Campion, Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove, CA, USA
  • Trevor Casper, Skyline High School, Idaho Falls, ID, USA
  • Ellie Cawthon, West High School, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
  • Melissa Chan, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Christy Chao, University City High School, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Daniel Chen, University City High School, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Connor Ciepluch, North Springs High School, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • Kaleigh Clary, Cabot High School, Cabot, AR, USA
  • Emily Cline, Aberdeen High School, Aberdeen, MD, USA
  • Daniel Cohen, Alpharetta High School, Alpharetta, GA, USA
  • Omri Coke, Coral Springs High School, Coral Springs, FL, USA
  • Corie Colliton, Salisbury Christian School, Salisbury, MD, USA
  • Joel Cook, Easley High School, Easley, SC, USA
  • Will Cooper, Rockford High School, Rockford, MI, USA
  • Lizzie Coplin, Hicksville Exempted Village Schools, Hicksville, OH, USA
  • Matthew Corbett, Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, Peabody, MA, USA
  • Benjamin Cosman, La Jolla High School, La Jolla, CA, USA
  • Edith Cricen, Southwest Miami High School, Miami, FL, USA
  • Jordan Dahlen, Mesquite High School, Gilbert, AZ, USA
  • Mitra Darakhshandeh, Brighton High School, Brighton, MI, USA
  • Matthew Darby, Seminole High School, Sanford, FL, USA
  • Greg Daszkiewicz, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ, USA
  • Krisha Desai, Alpharetta High School, Alpharetta, GA, USA
  • Jennifer Doering, University City High School, San Diego, CA, USA
  • David Dohan, White Station High School, Memphis, TN, USA
  • Donn Duncan, Easley High School, Easley, SC, USA
  • Monica Emrani, John L. Miller Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY, USA
  • Jessica Fessler, Victor High School, Victor, NY, USA
  • Rachel Fields, Winter Springs High School, Winter Springs, FL, USA
  • Allie Finch, Buena High School, Sierra Vista, AZ, USA
  • Theresa Folk, Cedar Cliff High School, Camp Hill, PA, USA
  • Michael Friedlander, Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans, LA, USA
  • Jeremy Gilston, John L. Miller Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY, USA
  • Joseph Gudger, Gilmer High School, Ellijay, GA, USA
  • Ambika Gupta, Hillcrest High School, Midvale, UT, USA
  • Patrick Haddad, Alpharetta High School, Alpharetta, GA, USA
  • Suzie Halman, Hilliard Davidson High School, Hilliard, OH, USA
  • Brandon Hanagriff, Brockwood High School, Snellville, GA, USA
  • Erika Handy, Mesquite High School, Gilbert, AZ, USA
  • Kayla Harrington, Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA, USA
  • Breanna Harris, Riverview High School, Searcy, AR, USA
  • Ronni Hastings, Lassiter High School, Marietta, GA, USA
  • Sarah Hawbaker, Boiling Springs High School, Boiling Springs, PA, USA
  • Katie Hehn, Pinewood Preparatory School, Summerville, SC, USA
  • Christopher Hrvoj, McIntosh High School, Peachtree City, GA, USA
  • Angelica Huggins, Palisades High School, Pacific Palisades, CA, USA
  • Shelbi Johnston, Ramah High School, Ramah, NM, USA
  • Kristin Jones, Troy High School, Fullerton, CA, USA
  • Melissa Kam, Clear Lake High School, Houston, TX, USA
  • Prashanth Kamalakanthan, William G. Enloe High School, Raleigh, NC, USA
  • Kathryn Kane, Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA, USA
  • Kalli Kappel, University City High School, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Jaime Katzer, Aviation High School, Des Moines, WA, USA
  • Jacob Kaufman-Waldron, Western Albemarle High School, Crozet, VA, USA
  • Christian Keeve, South Plantation High School, Plantation, FL, USA
  • Raiyan Khan, West High School, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
  • Ji Hee Kim, John L. Miller Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY, USA
  • Rebecca Kim, Connetquot High School, Bohemia, NY, USA
  • Cody Kleiman, Harborfields High School, Greenlawn, NY, USA
  • Sophia Koeler-Derrick, Terre Haute South Vigo High School, Terre Haute, IN, USA
  • Alexander Kray, Phoenixville Area High School, Phoenixville, PA, USA
  • Chelsea Krieg, Milford Central School, Milford, NY, USA
  • Nick Kruger, Hanover Area Junior/Senior High School, Hanover Township, PA, USA
  • Taylor Kulik, Gananda Central School District, Macedon, NY, USA
  • Michelle Kwon, West Orange High School, West Orange, NJ, USA
  • Jacob Landers, Astec Charter High School, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
  • Eric Lange, Lutheran South Academy, Houston, TX, USA
  • Nicholas Lee, Simi Valley High School, Simi Valley, CA, USA
  • Colin Limberger, Walterville High School, Waterville, ME, USA
  • Kathy Lin, Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos, NM, USA
  • Jayson Lindley, Ross S. Sterling High School, Baytown, TX, USA
  • Laura Loveless, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport, TN, USA
  • Jonathan Low, Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI, USA
  • Caitlin Lyons, Crosby High School, Crosby, TX, USA
  • Chase Maddox, Sagemont Upper School, Weston, FL, USA
  • Shawn Makarsky, Union Endicott High School, Endicott, NY, USA
  • Amber Meleski, Germantown High School, Germantown, WI, USA
  • McKenzie Miller, Mariemont High School, Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • Lauren Minor, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX, USA
  • Erin Morin, Pisgah High School, Brandon, MS, USA
  • Haley Novak, Fairview High School, Fairview Park, OH, USA
  • Paul Owen-Smith, Grand Blanc High School, Grand Blanc, MI, USA
  • Satyajeet Pal, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, NJ, USA
  • Kya Palomaki, Treasure Mountain International School, Park City, UT, USA
  • David Phelps, Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans, LA, USA
  • Emily Pickett, Elizabethtown Area High School, Elizabethtown, PA, USA
  • Anna Pidong, Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI, USA
  • Safa Pinkens, Arlington High School, Arlington, WA, USA
  • Dianne Porral, Seminole High School, Sanford, FL, USA
  • Claire Porter, North Springs High School, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • Zeta Poulin, Southwest Miami High School, Miami, FL, USA
  • Ricca Prasad, Victor High School, Victor, NY, USA
  • Ben Pringle, Downingtown High School West, Downington, PA, USA
  • Kyla Prior, Georges Valley Highschool, Thomaston, ME, USA
  • Sarah Pritchett, George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester, KY, USA
  • Samantha Proctor, Hanover Area Junior/Senior High School, Hanover Township, PA, USA
  • John Ragan, Serra Catholic High School, McKeesport, PA, USA
  • Saraf Rahman, Lexington High School, Lexington, MA, USA
  • Hannah Rajeshwar, Orange High School, Pepper Pike, OH, USA
  • Hannah Rakestraw, Mesquite High School, Gilbert AZ, USA
  • Shiv Ratan Rawal, Whitehouse High School, Whitehouse, TX, USA
  • Victoria Rehr, Conrad Weiser High School, Robesonia, PA, USA
  • Jamie Resnick, Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos, NM, USA
  • MaryAnn Robinson, Easley High School, Easley, SC, USA
  • Emily Rothkrug, John L. Miller Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY, USA
  • Elise Ruan, Concord-Carlisle Regional High School, Concord, MA, USA
  • Adam Safadi, Fairview High School, Boulder, CO, USA
  • Sania Salman, Hockaday School, Dallas, TX, USA
  • Stephanie Sang, Seminole High School, Sanford, FL, USA
  • Kevin Sargent, Enterprise High School, Redding, CA, USA
  • Christine Savoie, Lakeside High School, Evans, GA, USA
  • Rainy Schermerhorn, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX, USA
  • AnnMarie Schiavone, Concord High School, Elkhart, IN, USA
  • David Schneider, Spanish River High School, Boca Raton, FL, USA
  • Scott Schubert, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ, USA
  • Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer, Winter Springs High School, Winter Springs, FL, USA
  • Kelsey Shares, Victor High School, Victor, NY, USA
  • Brian Shoemaker, Rockville High School, Rockville, CT, USA
  • Robert Silver, Westfield High School, Westfield, IN, USA
  • Carol Skelton, Thunder Ridge High School, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
  • Alexander Smith, Palisades High School, Pacific Palisades, CA, USA
  • Matthew Smith, Covington Catholic High School, Park Hills, KY, USA
  • Alicia Sornson, Brighton High School, Brighton, MI, USA
  • Leigha Stockton, Northwest High School, Cedar Hill, MO, USA
  • Stephanie Suarez, Clear Lake High School, Houston, TX, USA
  • Visakha Suresh, Shepton High School, Plano, TX, USA
  • Elizabeth Szymanski, Crown Point High School, Crown Point, IN, USA
  • Matt Taphorn, Monroe Woodbury Senior High School, Central Valley, NY, USA
  • Sarah Tardo, Harborfields High School, Greenlawn, NY, USA
  • Eric Tarosky, Franklin Regional High School, Murrysville, PA, USA
  • Healea Taylor, Cabot High School, Cabot, AR, USA
  • Travis Taylor, Sagemont Upper School, Weston, FL, USA
  • Elizabeth Tennant, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport, TN, USA
  • Jennifer Thompson, Upper St. Clair High School, Upper St. Clair, PA, USA
  • Hayley Thompson, The Tome School, North East, MD, USA
  • Jocelyn Todd, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, St. Louis, MO, USA
  • James Torre, Aberdeen High School, Aberdeen, MD, USA
  • Victoria Tran, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Matt Trendowski, Westhill High School, Syracuse, NY, USA
  • Becky Trubitt, Bismark High School, Bismark, AR, USA
  • Alex Turzillo, Tigard High School, Tigard, OR, USA
  • Emily Vancor, Nashua High School North, Nashua, NH, USA
  • Kathy Varney, Deer Park Jr. /Sr. High School, Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • Mazie Verdin, South Lafourche High School, Galliano, LA, USA
  • Sara Viragova, Franklin Regional Senior High School, Murrysville, PA, USA
  • Kimberly Vu, Lakeside High School, Evans, GA, USA
  • Mary Kate Wachtel, Olathe North High School, Olathe, KS, USA
  • Brittany Waddell, Douglas S. Freeman High School, Richmond, VA, USA
  • Sibo Wang, Clear Lake High School, Houston, TX, USA
  • Zachary Warrick, Warrick Homeschool, Hermitage, TN, USA
  • Annie Waschko, Hazelton Area High School, Hazelton, PA, USA
  • Julia Wasnok, Troy High School, Fullerton, CA, USA
  • John Weber, Troy High School, Fullerton, CA, USA
  • Abigail Willis, Cabell Midland High School, Ona, WV, USA
  • Beatrice Wongchalermthan, Temple City High School, Temple City, CA, USA
  • Abbie Worm, Hastings High School, Hastings, MI, USA
  • Zachery Wulderk, Hammonton High School, Hammonton, NJ, USA
  • Alexandra Zortman, Mars Area High School, Mars, PA, USA