WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On May 16, the United States Institute of Peace announced the state-level winners in the Institute's thirteenth annual National Peace Essay Contest. Open to American high school students in all of the 50 states, U.S. territories, and American high school students studying abroad, all state winners will receive a $1,000 college scholarship and will compete for national awards of up to $10,000.

More than 1,200 students from across the United States, including Puerto Rico and American high school students studying overseas, participated in this year's contest. Students wrote about how U.S. policymakers can address the changing nature of international conflict today.

The winners have been invited to participate in a special program for state-level winners of the Institute's essay contest in Washington, D.C., June 17-22. Students will meet with senior U.S. government and foreign embassy officials, members of Congress, and other experts directly involved in the making of American foreign policy. They will also assume the roles of congressmen, diplomats, government officials, and members of the international press corps in a special three-day foreign policy making simulation. The goal of the exercise is for students to learn the inherent difficulties in constructing a viable U.S. foreign policy that will respond to regional instability in Latin America. 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 at a special awards banquet on June 21.

"It is crucial for our country that tomorrow's leaders understand that international conflict management and peace processes are essential components of U.S. foreign relations in the post-Cold War world," said Dr. Richard H. Solomon, president of the United States Institute of Peace. "The National Peace Essay Contest allows students to directly see the relationship between the world of learning and the world of public affairs and peacemaking. The United States needs a new generation of creative, resourceful, and innovative leaders. The Peace Essay Contest provides a jump-start to interesting this upcoming generation in careers dedicated to international affairs."

You can follow the winners on their unique learning adventure in Washington, D.C. by visiting this website. An electronic press kit with additional information on this year's state winners and the National Peace Essay Contest Week will be available online at the Institute's website starting May 22nd.

The United States Institute of Peace is an independent organization created and funded by Congress to promote research, education, and training on the resolution of international conflicts. The National Peace Essay Contest is among one of the Institute's oldest continuing activities to promote civic education on international peace and conflict resolution.

2000 NPEC State Level Winners

Alabama
Crystal Fortenberry
Mountain View Baptist School
Pinson, AL
Coordinator: Mr. Thad Endicott

Alaska
Lorenzo K. Harris
Ben Eielson High School
EAFB, AK
Coordinator: Ms. Elizabeth Hursh

Arizona
Leslie Zuniga
International Studies Academy
Glendale, AZ
Coordinator: Coordinator: Mr. Dion A.B. Labadie

Arkansas
Elspeth J. Simpson
Pulaski Academy
Little Rock, AR
Coordinator: Ms. Ginger Kidd and Mr. William J. Topich

California
Megan Havstad
Davis Senior High School
Davis, CA
Coordinator: Ms. Melody Simonton

Colorado
Jessica Beckwith
Independent Entry
Denver, CO

Connecticut
Michael Henry
Windsor High School
Windsor, CT
Coordinator: Ms. Diane Van Ausdall

Delaware
Shyam Kulkarni
Brandywine High School
Wilmington, DE
Coordinator: Mr. David Ruth

Florida
Jennifer Fortner
Palm Harbor University High School
Palm Harbor, FL
Coordinator: Mr. Michael Burkett

Georgia
Rachel Rothstein
New Atlanta Jewish Community H.S.
Dunwoody, GA
Coordinator: Ms. Bernadette May

Hawaii
Jessica Chung
Hawaii Baptist Academy
Honolulu, HI
Coordinator: Ms. Diane Hom

Idaho
Eli Hansen
Madison High School
Rexburg, ID
Coordinator: Mr. James Haeberle

Illinois
Sean Thomas Williams
St. Ignatius College Prep
Chicago, IL
Coordinator: Ms. Diane Haleas

Indiana
John Aberle
Noblesville High School
Noblesville, IN
Coordinator: Mr. Bruce Hitchcock

Iowa
Marcella Johnston
South Hamilton Community Schools
Jewell, IA
Coordinator: Mr. Richard A. Steffen

Kansas
Amy Marie Biggs
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Overland Park, KS
Coordinator: Ms. Gail Prieb

Kentucky
Madeleine Dwertman
Holmes Senior High School
Covington, KY
Coordinator: Mr. Stephen D'Adamo

Louisiana
Cambrian Liu
Baton Rouge Magnet High School
Baton Rouge, LA
Coordinator: Ms. Shemda Richard

Maryland
Derek Phillips
Watkins Mill High School
Gaithersburg, MD
Coordinator: Mr. Daryl Schultz

Massachusetts
Randall Souza
Mt. Greylock Regional H.S.
Williamstown, MA
Coordinator: Dr. Martha L. Dailey

Michigan
Rebecca Parks
Cass Technical High School
Detroit, MI
Coordinator: Ms. Deborah Thompson

Minnesota
Jewel Gausman
Anoka High School
Anoka, MN
Coordinator: Mr. Merle Miller

Mississippi
William A. Philipp
Madison Central High School
Madison, MS
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Shivers

Missouri
Peter Breen
Crossroads School
St. Louis, MO
Coordinator: Mr. Thomas F. Walsh

Montana
Jeffrey John Levine
C.M. Russell High School
Great Falls, MT
Coordinator: Mr. Charles Rossell

Nebraska
Molly Reagan
Duchesne Academy
Omaha, NE
Coordinator: Ms. Laura McKee Hickman

Nevada
Shauna McIver
Durango High School
Las Vegas, NV
Coordinator: Ms. Debra Klosowski King

New Hampshire
Julia E. Tobias
Phillips Exeter Academy
Exeter, NH
Coordinator: Mr. Andrew Hertig

New Jersey
Devon Warren Pym
Pope John XXIII High School
Sparta, NJ
Coordinator: Ms. Theresa Losiewicz

New Mexico
Rob Shafer
Carrizozo High School
Carrizozo, NM
Coordinator: Ms. Sarah Ball

New York
Sogol Somekh
John L. Miller Great Neck North High School
Great Neck, NY
Coordinator: Dr. Elaine Weiss

North Carolina
Allison Zbicz
William G. Enloe High School
Raleigh, NC
Coordinator: Ms. Vinetta Bell

North Dakota
Aaron Pinnick
Minot High School
Minot, ND
Coordinator: Mr. Allan Alvstad

Ohio
Mark A. Webb
School for Creative and Performing Arts
Cincinnati, OH
Coordinator: Ms. Sara Berry

Oklahoma
Emily Newman
Heritage Hall School
Oklahoma City, OK
Dr. David Crynes

Oregon
Megan E. Corrarino
Sunset High School
Portland, OR
Coordinator: Mr. Amit Kobrowski

Overseas Schools
Erin Boeke Burke
Kwassui High School
Nagasaki, Japan
Coordinator: Ms. Lee Boeke Burke

Pennsylvania
Sarah Godwin
Strath Haven High School
Wallingford, PA
Coordinator: Ms. Denise Fulvio

South Carolina
Sarah McKeown
Irmo High School
Columbia, SC
Coordinator: Ms. Jan P. McCarthy

South Dakota
David J. Redlinger
Peer Helpers
Watertown, SD
Coordinator: Ms. Shelley Rau Gauer

Tennessee
Manda Curry
Hendersonville High School
Hendersonville, TN
Coordinator: Ms. Glenda Stephens

Texas
Thomas Tsai
William P. Clements High School
Sugar Land, TX
Coordinator: Ms. Mary Harrison

U.S. Territories
Sara Loubriel-Carrion
Academia Perpetuo Socorro
San Juan, PR
Coordinator: Ms. Yvonne Benn

Utah
Tracy M. Kell
Spanish Fork High School
Spanish Fork, UT
Coordinator: Mr. Don Jones

Vermont
Kali Foxman
Champlain Valley Union High School
Hinesburg, VT
Coordinator: Mr. William Mares

Virginia
Christina Stavridis
West Potomac High School
Alexandria, VA
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Kenny

Washington
Kenji Crosland
Chimacum High School
Chimacum, WA
Coordinator: Ms. Maggie Romine

Wisconsin
Steven A. Sumner
Wauwatosa West High School
Wauwatosa, WI
Coordinator: Mr. Jeff Moreland

West Virginia
Andrew Barnes
Preston High School
Kingwood, WV
Coordinator: Ms. Catherine Nutter

Wyoming
Jordan Wilde
Worland High School
Worland, WY
Coordinator: Coordinator: Mr. Tim McGee