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Winners' Biographies
Texas
Andy Ho | Pasadena Memorial High School | Pasadena, Texas
"Revitalization"
Coordinator: Ms. Patricia Cain
Andy was born and raised in Houston, Texas. A part of the class of 2008 at Pasadena Memorial High School, he is a member of HOSA, the National Honor Society, and the Spanish Honor Society. He enjoys playing the clarinet, violin, and piano and is part of both the marching band and the wind ensemble. Andy also continues to study Mandarin at the Chinese Community Center and competes in a variety of venues. His hobbies include reading, listening to jazz, and playing basketball. After high school and college, Andy plans to enter the medical field.
Northern Mariana Islands
Anita B. Hofschneider| Marianas Baptist Academy | Saipan, MP
"Victims of Lost Hope: Child Soldiers of the Philippines and Colombia"
Coordinator: Ingur Lee
Anita lives in the small village of San Roque, on the island of Saipan, the capital island of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The first person from the CNMI to win this essay contest, Anita attends the Marianas Baptist Academy. She has been class president for the last three years and is assistant editor of the school newspaper. She represents her school as a Senator in the CNMI Youth Congress, and is a three-time competitor in the CNMI Mock Trial Championship. Her team has placed second twice, and she has received the "Most Effective Prosecutor" award. Anita is an active participant in the National Forensic League (NFL). This summer, she will be representing the CNMI in the Lincoln-Douglas debate at the NFL Nationals in Wichita, Kansas.
Utah
Amber Shadell Smith| Richfield High School | Richfield, Utah
"Helping the Youth"
Coordinator: Mr. Steven G. Player
Shadell Smith lives in Richfield, Utah and attends Richfield High School, where she has received awards in French, Spanish, Science, Math, and Art. She is on the honor roll and has been part of the State Swim Competition and the All-State Choir for two years, and delights in participating in all the school plays, chorus numbers, and assemblies.. She also works with disabled students at Richmond, volunteers doing highway and park clean-up, and teaches others to swim. After high school, Shadell plans to go to college for two years and then university for four years, majoring in education and business.
Vermont
Benjamin D. Gonin | Green Mountain Valley School | Waitsfield, Vermont
"Passion and Dispossession: Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone and Palestine"
Coordinator: Ms. Alice Rodgers
Ben is a junior at Green Mountain Valley School, a ski academy in rural Vermont. While he spends countless hours training on the ski slopes, Ben has discovered a variety of interests and extracurricular endeavors that could potentially take him far away from snow. Among these newfound interests are the performing arts (a role in the musical Urinetown), student government (helping to bring public transportation to his somewhat isolated campus), and international studies (Ben plans to take courses in international relations and Arabic this summer). Despite the fact that his small school (only 20 students in the graduating class) does not offer AP courses, varsity teams, and other activities available at larger high schools, Ben has found many outlets to diversify his education and channel his passions.
Virginia
Anirudh Saraswathula | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology | Alexandria, Virginia
"Youth and Violent Conflict"
Coordinator: Ms. Laurie Kobick
Anirudh is a freshman at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. He plans to study either medicine or biotechnology after high school. At school he is actively involved in Model United Nations, which sparked his interest in international relations. He also plays tennis, is an accomplished vocalist in Indian Classical Music, and is a first degree black belt in Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate. He will soon be testing for his second degree. He has done a research project for the U.S. Air Force on the environmental impact of certain jet engine exhaust chemicals. He regularly volunteers at his local library and Hindu temple.
Washington
Michael B. Conrad | Woodinville High School | Woodinville, Washington
"Opening the Window"
Coordinator: David E. Conrad
Mike is a senior at Woodinville High School in Kirkland, Washington. He has been an active member of the Model United Nations club, serving as co-president, and was recently chosen as a National Merit Finalist. He was also a member of his school's DECA chapter, and took first place in regional competition for an ad campaign event. He volunteers regularly with the Jewish Family Services food bank in Seattle, helping to provide food for homeless persons. In the fall, Mike will begin his freshman year at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. He plans to major in either marketing or finance, with a minor in economics. Afterwards, he would like to earn an MBA in international business.
West Virginia
Zachary A. Yochum | The Linsly School | Wheeling, West Virginia
"Child Soldiers and Their Reintegration into Society"
Coordinator: Mr. William L. Brubaker
Zachary attends The Linsly School, where he is the editor of both the yearbook and the newspaper. He volunteers at the area hospital and at a local soup kitchen, and founded a Soup Kitchen Club at his school in order to get more students involved in the community. He is also the secretary of his school's Forensics team; this year they placed fifth at the West Virginia State Speech Tournament. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the German Honor Society. After high school, Zak plans to study political science and law while playing collegiate-level golf.
Wisconsin
Maya M. Hlavacek | Milwaukee High School of the Arts | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"Fire from Banlieue to Favela: Riots and Youth Conflict in France and Rio de Janeiro"
Coordinator: Katherine Katter
Maya lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, attending an arts-focused public high school in the inner city. Music has played a central role in her education, as she studies it two hours a day in school. For the past three years, Maya has double-majored in Jazz and Classical Violin, and is mentored by a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. In addition to the arts, Maya is a dedicated scholar who is enrolled in Advanced Placement classes and is an active member of her school's National Honor Society. She is eagerly anticipating her NHS student-organized volunteer event this year: a 3-mile walk benefiting the victims of genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Maya is also a Scholar Athlete and Varsity Captain of the cross-country team and plays midfield on her school's varsity soccer team. She will be a senior next year and hopes to study Creative Writing, Foreign Affairs and History in college.
Wyoming
Brandon J. Greet | Ten Sleep High School | Ten Sleep, Wyoming
"Overcoming Lives of Violence for Our Youth"
Coordinator: Barbara Ostermann
Brandon lives on his family's ranch, twenty miles south of Ten Sleep, Wyoming (pop. 304). He, along with his brother and sister, is part of the fourth generation of his family to live there. As a senior at the local high school he participates in basketball, football, track and field, Change Attitudes Now, Future Business Leaders of America, Future Farmers of America (FFA), the Student Council, National Honor Society, and Skills USA. He loves football and has recently received recognition as a "Six-Man Illustrated" All-American Linebacker and a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete. After high school, Brandon plans to attend the University of Wyoming and major in mechanical engineering. Growing up on the ranch has taught him the benefits of hard work, determination, and patience. The philosophies generated from living and working on the ranch has generated a unique outlook on life, and helps Brandon to understand how everything is interconnected.
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