Institute announces state winners for 1999 National Peace Essay Contest.

Washington, DC -- The following students have won first place in the state-level competition in the twelfth annual National Peace Essay Contest sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace. Winners will receive a $1,000 college scholarship and will compete for national awards of up to $10,000.

More than 2,500 students in 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and American high schools overseas participated in this year's contest. Students wrote about the different measures that can be taken to prevent violent international conflicts.

All of the winners have been invited to represent their states in a special program for state-level winners of the Institute's essay contest in Washington, DC, June 19-24. Students will meet with senior United States Government and foreign embassy officials, members of Congress, and other experts directly involved in the current negotiations and war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. They will also assume the roles of representatives from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) diplomats, and government officials in a three-day simulation of the negotiations. The goal of the negotiations is to prevent the further escalation of the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Further escalation of the conflict could lead to a Kosovo-like crisis involving all of East Africa. At the end of the week, the winners of national first-, second-, and third-place scholarships of $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 will be selected and honored.

"These participants in the essay contest understand that international conflict management and peace processes are essential components of our nation's foreign relations in the post-Cold War world," said Dr. Richard H. Solomon, president of the United States Institute of Peace. "These students have seen the direct relationship between the world of learning and the world of public affairs and peacemaking. The United States needs creative, resourceful, and innovative young leaders like the Peace Essay contest winners to help our country prevent and manage international conflict in the new century."

You can follow the students on their unique learning adventure in Washington D.C. by following their activities on this web site. Please click here for more information about the Peace Essay Contest.

 

Alabama
Cherish Fortenberry
Mountain View Baptist School
Birmingham, AL
Coordinator: Ms. Judy Dick

Alaska
Amelia Still
Juneau Douglas High School
Juneau, AK
Coordinator: Mr. George Gress

Arizona
Anna Trader
Buena High School
Sierra Vista, AZ
Coordinator: Ms. Judith Spencer

Arkansas
Anna C. Martin
Pulaski Academy
Little Rock, AR
Coordinator: Ms. Ginger Kidd

California
Monami Chakrabarti
Newbury Park High School
Newbury Park, CA
Coordinator: Ms. Christine D. Thompson

Colorado
Susanna N. Wolf
Doherty High School
Colorado Springs, CO
Coordinator: Ms. Pam Marston

Connecticut
Brian Holland
Choate Rosemary Hall
Wallingford, CT
Coordinator: Dr. Edward S. McCatty

Delaware
Lada M. Kyj
Archmere Academy
Claymont, DE
Coordinator: Ms. Mary Ann Barnard

Florida
Deverraux Jones
North Miami Sr. High
North Miami, FL
Coordinator: Mr. John Lamb

Georgia
Albert P. Kim
Shiloh High School
Lithonia, GA
Coordinator: Mr. Patrick Norton

Hawaii
Daniel Evans
Kahuka High School
Kahuku, HI
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Smith

Idaho
Shae Blakeman
Les Bois Junior High School
Boise, ID
Coordinator: Mr. Dan Prinzing

Illinois
Ankit Mehta
William Fremd High School
Palatine, IL
Coordinator: Ms. Martha A. Edwards

Indiana
Brad Snyder
Noblesville High School
Noblesville, IN
Coordinator: Mr. Bruce Hitchcock

Iowa
Liz Mathews
Marshalltown Sr. High School
Marshalltown, IA
Coordinator: Mr. Brian L. Johnson

Kansas
Brad Quellhorst
Lawrence High School
Lawrence, KS
Coordinator: Ms. Danielle Lotton-Barker

Kentucky
Sarah Matthews
Notre Dame Academy
Park Hills, KY
Coordinator: Ms. Diana Timmerding

Louisiana
Christopher Hathorn
Pineville High School
Pineville, LA
Coordinator: Mrs. Jane Bacot Texada

Maine
Sarah E. Grube
Lewiston High School
Lewiston, ME
Coordinator: Mr. Michael G. Beaulieu

Maryland
Anika Binnendijk
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Bethesda, MD
Coordinator: Mr. Colman McCarthy

Massachusetts
Rebecca Bradburd
Mt Greylock Regional High School
Williamstown, MA
Coordinator: Dr. Martha L. Dailey

Michigan
Brian Winegardner
Howell High School
Howell, MI
Coordinator: Mr. Douglas M. Norton

Minnesota
Nicholas Tokar
Elk River Area High School
Elk River, MN
Coordinator: Mr. Tom Fuller

Mississippi
John Jackson Brantley
Madison Central High School
Madison, MS
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Shivers

Missouri
Katie Henke
Fort Zumwalt South High
St. Peters, MO
Coordinator: Ms. Peggy J. South

Nebraska
Thompson D. Herman
Alliance High School
Alliance, NE
Coordinator: Mrs. Valorie J. Foy

Nevada
April Vodopich
Durando High School
Las Vegas, NV
Coordinator: Ms. Debra Klosowski King

New Hampshire
Yoni Cohen
Lexington High School
Nashua, NH
Coordinator: Ms. Lisa Hansel

New Jersey
Michael J. Dela Merced
Seton Hall Preparatory School
West Orange, NJ
Coordinator: Mr. Ralph Dellanno

New Mexico
Noah Newman Loge Baker
Los Alamos High School
Los Alamos, NM
Coordinator: Ms. Nancy Schick

New York
Timothy Li
Great Neck North High School
Great Neck, NY
Coordinator: Ms. Carol Chaitkin

North Carolina
Dave B. Caldwell
Tuscola High School
Maggie Valley, NC
Coordinator: Ms. Susie Ray

Ohio
Kelly Phipps
Jackson High School
Massillon, OH
Coordinator: Mr. Thomas W. Clark, Jr.

Oklahoma
Melissa K. Wiles
Ardmore High School
Ardmore, OK
Coordinator: Mr. Wade W. Watkins

Oregon
Kathleen Alice Gruher
Sunset High School
Portland, OR
Coordinator: Mr. William C. Pressly

Overseas Schools
Joel Smith
The International Community School of Abidjan
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Coordinator: Mr. Ronald S. Knapp

Pennsylvania
Neal Horning
Uniontown Area School District
Uniontown, PA
Coordinator: Mr. Joseph V. LaPresta

South Carolina
Kathleen E. Wirth
Irmo High School
Columbia, SC
Coordinator: Ms. Jan P. McCarthy

South Dakota
Jean Marie Hicks
St. Thomas More High School
Rapid City, SD
Coordinator: Ms. Marian V. Reed

Tennessee
Stephanie Lyons
Elizabethton High School
Elizabethton, TN
Coordinator: Ms. Anne Rogers

Texas
Heather Jones
Pathfinders Educational Consultants
Richardson, TX
Coordinator: Ms. Jennifer Jones

U.S. Territories
Jose J. Alberty
Academia Perpetuo Socorro
San Juan, PR
Coordinator: Ms. Yvonne Benn

Utah
Angela M. Allred
Springville High School
Springville, UT
Coordinator: Mr. Troy D. Bohling

Vermont
Emerson Hilton
Green Mountain Valley School
Waitsfield, VT
Coordinator: Ms. Alice Rodgers

Virginia
Jacob Jost
Eastern Mennonite High School
Harrisonburg, VA
Coordinator: Mr. Elwood E. Yoder

Washington
Amy J. Kenna
Bellingham, WA
Coordinator: Ms. Victoria Kenna

Washington D.C.
Peter van Agtmael
Georgetown Day School
Washington, DC
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Ikenberry

West Virginia
Scott Kelly
Preston High School
Kingwood, WV
Coordinator: Ms. Catherine Nutter

Wisconsin
Ryan P. Cunningham
Wauwatosa West High School
Wauwatosa, WI
Coordinator: Mr. Jeff Moreland

Wyoming

Mariana Abresch


Worland High School


Worland, WY


Coordinator: Mr. Tim McGe

Related News

USIP Peace Teachers Program Announces 2023 Cohort

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

News Type: Press Release

(Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) is pleased to announce the selection of the 2023 Peace Teachers Program cohort, consisting of 22 middle and high school teachers from 21 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. The full list of participants can be found here.

Education & Training

View All News