State Winners Announced for 2001 National Peace Essay Contest
Students from across United States to attend special competition in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On May 1st, the United States Institute of Peace announced the state-level winners in the Institute's fourteenth 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 3,000 students from across the United States, including Puerto Rico and American high school students studying overseas, participated in this year's contest. Students this year examined in their essays how third parties can help bring peace to violent civil conflicts abroad.
As a state-level winner in the 2001 competition, all winners have been invited to represent their state in a special all-expenses paid program in Washington, D.C., June 23-28. Students will meet with senior U.S. government officials, members of Congress, foreign embassy officials, and other experts directly involved in making American foreign policy. They will also engage in a three-day simulation focusing on the impact of third parties in the current civil war in Sri Lanka. Students will assume the roles of government officials, NGOs, individuals, and governmental organizations to examine the ways third parties succeed or fail in bringing peace to a conflict. The goal of the exercise -- specially designed each year by the Institute's Education Program -- is for students to learn about the complexities of constructing a sustainable peace. At the end of the week, winners of the 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.
"The National Peace Essay Contest introduces an emerging generation of leaders to the challenges as well as the excitement of shaping U.S. foreign policy," noted Institute President Dr. Richard H. Solomon. "These outstanding students will shape the future of our country, and I cannot think of a better public investment than ensuring that tomorrow's leaders are equipped with an understanding of the many competing factors involved in effectively preventing and managing international conflicts."
You can learn more about the other winners, and the unique learning adventure ahead for them in Washington, D.C. by visiting the United States Institute of Peace's website at www.usip.org. A special electronic press kit with additional information on this year's state winners and the Award Week will be available online at the Institute's website starting June 1.
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.
2001 NPEC State Level Winners
Index by State
Alabama
Mr. Joshua Hershberger
Mountain View Baptist School
Birmingham, AL
Coordinator: Ms. Cathy Fortenberry
Alaska
Ms. Bonnie Loshbaugh
Skyview High School
Soldotna, AK
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Raemaeker
Arizona
Ms. Lispeth Nutt
North Canyon High School
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Coordinator: Ms. Suzanne Brayer
Arkansas
Mr. Brian D Weiss
Pulaski Academy
Little Rock, AR, USA
Coordinators: Ms. Ginger Kidd & Bill Topich
Mr. Joseph Richard Rose
Saratoga Federated Church
Saratoga, CA
Coordinator: Mr. Tim Galbher
Colorado
Mr. Travis Macy
Evergreen High School
Evergreen, CO, USA
Coordinator: Mr. Brian Conroy
Connecticut
Ms. Suzanne Hopcroft
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Coordinator: Mr. Paul M. Cunningham
Mr. Adam Figueira
Archmere Academy
Claymont, DE
Coordinator: Mr. John Buggein
Ms. Danielle Deans
Atlantic High School
Port Orange, FL
Coordinator: Ms. Shelley Wilkes
Mr. Nicholas Edelstein
Dunwoody High School
Dunwoody, GA
Coordinator: Ms. Catherine Burroughs
Ms. Stephanie Hu
University of Hawaii Laboratory School
Honolulu, HI
Coordinator: Ms. Suzanne Acord
Mr. John Henager
South Fremont High School
St. Anthony, ID
Coordinator: Ms. Margaret Oveson
Illinois
Mr. Matthew Thomas Diller
Normal Community High School
Normal, IL
Coordinator: Mr. Kelly J. Keogh
Indiana
Mr. Matthew Holbreich
North Central High School
Indianapolis, IN
Coordinator: Mr. William Broderick
Iowa
Ms. Nora Martin
Ames High School
Ames, IA
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Martens
Ms. Laura Adams
Topeka High School
Topeka, KS
Coordinator: Ms. Mary Ann Stout
Kentucky
Mr. Scott Moore
du Pont Manual High School
Louisville, KY
Coordinator: Mr. Patrick Stevenson
Ms. Stephanie de Vay
Ben Franklin High School
New Orleans, LA
Coordinator: Ms Diane McCusker
Ms. Kasi Carson
Saint Dominic Regional High School
Lewiston, ME
Coordinator: Ms. Rosanne Ducey
Maryland
Ms. Ariana Berengaut
Walter Johnson High School
Bethesda, MD
Coordinator: Mr. Theisen Healey
Massachusetts
Ms. Ariela Marshall
Salem High School
Salem, MA
Coordinator: Ms. Patricia Hynes
Michigan
Mr. Matt Harsha-Strong
Novi High School
Novi, MI
Coordinator: Mr. Tom Brenner
Minnesota
Ms. Karlyn Beer
Elk River Area High School
Elk River, MN
Coordinator: Mr. Tom Fuller
Mississippi
Ms. Courtney Chance
Madison Central High School
Madison, MS
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Shivers
Missouri
Mr. Adam B. Hill
Nixa High School
Nixa, MO
Coordinator: Ms. Sheri Stanton-Goetz
Montana
Ms. Allison Jochim
Joplin-Invernes High School
Joplin, MT
Coordinator: Ms. Dana Travis
Ms. Bethany Scott
Duchesne Academy
Omaha, NE
Coordinator: Ms. Laura McKee Hickman
Nevada
Mr. Adam Blitstein
Durango High School
Las Vegas, NV
Coordinator: Ms. Debra Klosowski King
New Jersey
Ms. Carin Glaser
Kushner Yeshiva High School
Livingston, NJ
Coordinator: Mr. Dan Rosen
New Mexico
Mr. Milo M. Lin
Los Alamos High School
Los Alamos, NM
Coordinator: Ms. Nancy Schick
New York
Ms. Kimberly Salome Greenberg
Great Neck North High School
Great Neck, NY
Coordinator: Dr. Elaine Weiss
North Carolina
Ms. Amber Morehouse
Durham Academy
Durham, NC
Coordinator: Ms. Jennie H. Wallace
North Dakota
Ms. Andrea Rau
Minot High School
Minot, ND
Coordinator: Mr. Allan Alvstad
Ms. Maiko Shiota
Hathaway Brown School
Shaker Heights, OH
Coordinator: Ms. Judith Nelson
Oklahoma
Ms. Brittany Howell
Cleveland High School
Cleveland, OK
Coordinator: Ms. Kathie Angelo
Oregon
Ms. Joy Ellison
West Hills Friends Meeting
Portland, OR
Coordinator: Ms. Noel Carey
Overseas Schools
Mr. Mohammad Fatayerji
Dhahran Academy High School
Al-Khobar, AE, Saudi Arabia
Coordinator: Ms. Kathleen Tighe
Ms. Emily Sowell
Huntington Area High School
Huntington, PA
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Reilly
Puerto Rico & U.S. Territories
Ms. Lilah Sabalones
Academia del Perpetuo Socorro
San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Arroyo
Mr. George Matook
La Salle Academy
Providence, RI
Coordinator: Mr. Edward Sirois
Ms. Lisa Kistler
Irmo High School
Columbia, SC, USA
Coordinator: Ms. Jan P. McCarthy
South Dakota
Mr. Austin Lammers
St. Thomas More High School
Rapid City, SD
Coordinator: Ms. Marian V. Reed
Yuan Tao
Martin Luther King Academic Magnet
Nashville, TN
Coordinator: Ms. Andrea Joy York
Texas
Mr. Chris Belcik
Sacred Heart Academy
Hallettsville, TX
Coordinator: Ms. Ida V. Bludau
Ms. Stefanie Nelson
Bountiful High School
Bountiful, UT
Coordinator: Ms. Julia Nelson
Ms. Cory Simon-Nobes
Champlain Valley Union High School
Hinesburg, VT
Coordinator: Mr. William Mares
Virginia
Ms. Arielle Kuiper
Senior Girl Scout Troop 1759
Annandale, VA
Coordinator: Ms. Janet Wainwright
Ms. Rachel K. Gross
Capital High School
Olympia, WA
Coordinator: Mr. Kenneth L. Joling
West Virginia
Ms. Rebecca Kenna-Schenk
Preston High School
Kingwood, WV
Coordinator: Ms. Catherine Nutter
Wisconsin
Mr. Michael Nondahl
Wauwatosa West High School
Wauwatosa, WI, USA
Coordinator: Mr. Jeff Moreland
Wyoming
Ms. Cassidy Ann Croft
Worland High School
Worland, WY
Coordinator: Mr. Tim McGee
2001 NPEC Honorable Mentions
Note - When selecting the winning essay for each state, the state-level essay judging panels --qualified experts selected by the Institute each year -- often picks several essays for Honorable Mentions each year. These Honorable Mentions are meant to recognize the work of students who also wrote particularly strong essays that year. As Honorable Mentions are chosen at the discretion of the judging panel, the number of Honorable Mentions not only varies from year to year, but from state to state as Honorable Mentions are also always not always chosen for all states.
Alaska - Honorable Mention
Ms. Njideka Chukwu
West Valley High School
Fairbanks, AK
Coordinator: Mr. Steve Levey
Arizona - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Flannery Clark
Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy
Flagstaff, AZ
Coordinator: Ms. Penelope Wong
Ms. Katherine Kleindienst
Chaparral High School
Scottsdale, AZ
Coordinator: Mr. Michael Neer
Arkansas - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Michael Arrington
Pulaski Academy
Little Rock, AR
Coordinator: Ms. Ginger Kidd and Mr. Bill Topich
Mr. Chad Thomas Farneth
Pulaski Academy
Little Rock, AR
Coordinator: Ms. Ginger Kidd and Mr. Bill Topich
California - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Anna Bershteyn
Castilleja School
Palo Alto, CA
Coordinator: Ms. Peggy McKee
Ms. Kira Siam
Venice High School
Los Angeles, CA
Coordinator: Mr. John Brierley
Colorado - Honorable Mention
Ms. Andrea Adams
Gateway High School
Aurora, CO
Coordinator: Mr. Phil Gerkin
Connecticut - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Nadia Al-Khatib
Choate Rosemary Hall
Wallingford, CT
Coordinator: Mr. Zachary Goodyear
Mr. Jonathan Wakely
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Coordinator: Mr. Paul M. Cunningham
Delaware - Honorable Mention
Ms. Elizabeth Redden
Camden Friends Meeting
Frederica, DE
Coordinator: Ms. Ruth Johnson
Georgia - Honorable Mention
Mr. Sutee Dee
Valdosta High School
Valdosta, GA
Coordinator: Ms. Narci J. Drossos
Hawaii - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Brent Monden
Hawaii Baptist Academy
Honolulu, HI
Coordinator: Ms. Diane Hom
Ms. Tanya Talbot
Hawaii Baptist Academy
Honolulu, HI
Coordinator: Ms. Diane Hom
Idaho - Honorable Mention
Mr. Trevor E. Jack
Eagle High School
Eagle, ID
Coordinator: Ms. Deneise Crace
Illinois - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Carrie Marie Bauer
Mendota High School
Mendota, IL
Coordinator: Mr. Matthew Gehm
Ms. Kara Emilie Coffey
Mundelein High School
Mundelein, IL
Coordinator: Mr. William Gorski
Indiana - Honorable Mention
Ms. Rosalynn Prough
Noblesville High School
Noblesville, IN
Coordinator: Mr. Bruce Hitchcock
Kentucky - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Elizabeth Berling
Notre Dame Academy
Park Hills, KY
Coordinator: Ms. Diana Timmerding
Ms. Caitlin Shaughnessy
Notre Dame Academy
Park Hills, KY
Coordinator: Ms. Diana Timmerding
Louisiana - Honorable Mention
Ms. Stephanie Reis
Neville High School
Monroe, LA
Coordinator: Ms. Valerie Batley
Maryland - Honorable Mention
Mr. Roberto Reyes-Gaskin
Walt Whitman High School
Bethesda, MD
Coordinator: Ms. Donna Tydings
Michigan - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Douglas Carmichael
Oscada Area High School
Oscoda, MI
Coordinator: Mr. William Fleming
Ms. Maureen O'Brien
Mercy High School
Farmington Hills, MI
Coordinator: Ms. Ann Lusch
Minnesota - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Christopher Lofgren
Elk River Area High School
Elk River, MN
Coordinator: Mr. Tom Fuller
Ms. Lauren Sivula
Elk River Area High School
Elk River, MN
Coordinator: Mr. Tom Fuller
Mississippi - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Matthew Persaud
Madison Central High School
Madison, MS
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Shivers
Mr. Matthew Ward
Madison Central High School
Madison, MS
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Shivers
Montana - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Sarah Haggart
CM Russell High School
Great Falls, MT
Coordinator: Mr. Charles Rossell
Mr. Kevin Swift
C.M. Russell High School
Great Falls, MT
Coordinator: Mr. Charles Rossell
Nebraska - Honorable Mention
Ms. Samia Khan
Duchesne Academy
Omaha, NE
Coordinator: Ms. Laura McKee Hickman
Nevada - Honorable Mention
Ms. Julia Catherine Falcone
Galena High School
Reno, NV
Coordinator: Ms. Mandy S. Campbell
New Jersey - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Kevin J. DeAnna
Cedar Grove High School
Cedar Grove, NJ
Coordinator: Mr. Joseph T. McBride
Mr. Robert Eberhard
Pope John XXIII High School
Sparta, NJ
Coordinator: Ms. Theresa Losiewicz
Ms. Erin Weinschenk
Sparta High School
Sparta, NJ
Coordinator: Mr. Barry Gibisser
New Mexico - Honorable Mention
Ms. Elizabeth Lynn Anderson
Armand Hammer United World College
Montezuma, NM
Coordinator: Dr. Lawrence Tharp
New York - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Vincent Chen
Hunter College High School
New York, NY
Coordinator: Mr. Irving Kagan
Ms. Elizabeth Wrigley-Field
Hunter College High School
New York, NY
Coordinator: Mr. Irving Kagan
North Carolina - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Emily Caldwell
Myers Park High School
Charlotte, NC
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Matthews
Mr. Jason Maxwell
William G. Enloe High School
Raleigh, NC
Coordinator: Ms. Vinetta Bell
North Dakota - Honorable Mention
Ms. Stefanie Tande
Minot High School
Minot, ND
Coordinator: Mr. Allan Alvstad
Ohio - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Elizabeth Keefe
Olentangy High School
Lewis Center, OH
Coordinator: Mr. Steven F. Youmans
Mr. Christopher Wilfong
Thomas Worthington High School
Worthington, OH
Coordinator: Mr. Mark Ellwood
Oklahoma - Honorable Mention
Mr. Kevin Rudick
Oologah High School
Oologah, OK
Coordinator: Ms. Cheryl Boyd
Oregon - Honorable Mentions
Mr. Michael Li
Oregon Episcopal School
Portland, OR
Coordinator: Ms. Hope B. Stevens
Mr. Michael Morrell
Willamette High School
Eugene, OR
Coordinator: Mr. Robert Saunders
Overseas Schools - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Mariam Katkhouda
Dhahran Academy High School
Al-Khobar, AE, Saudi Arabia
Coordinator: Ms. Kathleen Tighe
Mr. Eric Sepp
International School of Stavanger
Stavanger, AE, Norway
Coordinator: Mr. William Hovey
Pennsylvania - Honorable Mentions
Mr. John-Thomas Eltringham
Northwestern Lehigh High School
New Tripoli, PA
Coordinator: Ms. Jenne Harlin
Mr. Sameer Sol
Bishop McCort High School
Johnstown, PA
Coordinator: Ms. Patti Gridley
Puerto Rico U.S. Territories - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Sylvia T Vaquer Arroyo
Academia del Perpetuo Socorro
San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Arroyo
Mr. Andres Velez
Academia del Perpetuo Socorro
San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico
Coordinator: Ms. Linda Arroyo
Rhode Island - Honorable Mention
Ms. Stephanie Maloney
La Salle Academy
Providence, RI
Coordinator: Mr. Edward Sirois
South Carolina - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Jessica Pothering
Academic Magnet High School
N. Charleston, SC
Coordinator: Dr. Ruth Bures
Ms. Melinda K. Schmidt
South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities
Greenville, SC
Coordinator: Ms. Julie Allen
Tennessee - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Linnea Duvall
Girls Prepatory School
Chattanooga, TN
Coordinator: Ms. Catherine Barker
Ms. Carla Hickman
Ooltewah High School
Ooltewah, TN
Coordinator: Ms. Martha McCarley
Texas - Honorable Mention
Ms. Zahra Ali
Hightower High School
Mo. City, TX
Coordinator: Ms. Sue Tull
Utah - Honorable Mention
Mr. Tyler Hawkes
Layton High School
Layton, UT
Coordinator: Ms. Lark Woodbury
Vermont - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Elizabeth Bloomhardt
Champlain Valley Union High School
Hinesburg, VT
Coordinator: Mr. William Mares
Mr. Jesse Mesner-Hage
Montpelier High School
Montpelier, VT
Coordinator: Mr. John A. Goodrich
Virginia- Honorable Mentions
Mr. Jeremiah Hendren
Eastern Mennonite High School
Harrisonburg, VA
Coordinator: Mr. Elwood E. Yoder
Ms. Angela J. Lederach
Eastern Mennonite High School
Harrisonburg, VA
Coordinator: Mr. Elwood E. Yoder
Washington - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Emily Chu
Mariner High School
Everett, WA
Coordinator: Mr. Rob Storrs
Ms. Camille Jackson
Snohomish High School
Snohomish, WA
Coordinator: Ms. Lisa Stettler
West Virginia - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Deborah James
Preston High School
Kingwood, WV
Coordinator: Ms. Catherine Nutter
Ms. Elizabeth Catherine Shelling
Charleston Catholic High School
Charleston, WV
Coordinator: Ms. Bridget Riggs
Wisconsin - Honorable Mentions
Ms. Deborah Kanning
Wauwatosa West High School
Wauwatosa, WI
Coordinator: Mr. Jeff Moreland
Mr. Sam Worley-Ekstrom
Lincoln High School
Manitowoc, WI
Coordinator: Mr. Gary Bents