WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On June 27th, the United States Institute of Peace announced the first, second, and third-place national winners in the Institute's fourteenth annual National Peace Essay Contest. Winning recognition among entries received from more than 1,200 students from across the United States, including Puerto Rico and American high school students studying overseas, first place was awarded this year to Ms. Stephanie Nelson from Bountiful, Utah, second-place to Ms. Suzanne Hopcroft from Woodstock, Connecticut, and third-place to Mr. Scott Moore from Louisville, Kentucky (who was unable to attend due to a prior commitment).

Selected by Institute's Board of Directors, the national winners will receive scholarships in the amounts of $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 respectively. This year students were asked to write a 1,500 word essay assessing how third parties can help bring peace to violent civil conflicts abroad.

Commenting on the winning essays, Dr. Richard H. Solomon, president of the United States Institute of Peace observed, "The insight and eloquence of our country’s young people demonstrated in the research and writing of our winners never fails to impress me. It’s always a tough job to pick just three of these talented students as our national winners; however, I hope that the experience the students had this week in our nation’s capital is something that they all will treasure."

The national awards were announced at a banquet held June 27, the concluding event in an intensive five-day working tour of Washington organized by the Institute for the essay contest winners for each state. The students, each of whom garnered a $1,000 scholarship for taking top honors in their respective states, participated in a unique program designed to promote understanding of the nature and processes of international peacemaking. State-level winning essays for the National Peace Essay Contest were chosen by a panel of qualified experts from across the nation selected by the Institute's Education Program. National winners were selected from among the first-place state essays by the Institute's board of directors.

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 one of the Institute's oldest continuing activities, designed to promote civic education on issues of international peace and conflict resolution.

2000-01 NPEC National Winners

FIRST PLACE
Utah
Ms. Stefanie Nelson
Bountiful High School
Bountiful, UT
Coordinator: Ms. Julia Nelson

"Somalia and Sudan: Sovereignty and Humanitarianism"

In describing the lessons from third-party intervention in civil conflicts in the Sudan and Somalia, Nelson in her winning essay noted:

"Third party intervention in civil wars must be reconceptualized as the collision of two competing philosophies: sovereignty and humanitarianism…Instead of responding to pictures on CNN, intervention in civil wars needs to be accomplished on a case-by-case basis, carefully balancing these two concerns."

USIP President Richard Solomon and Stefanie Nelson
at the Awards Banquet

SECOND PLACE
Connecticut
Ms. Suzanne Hopcroft
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Coordinator: Mr. Paul M. Cunningham

"Civil Struggle in South Africa and Sierra Leone: Lessons in Outside Intervention and Conflict Resolution"

In describing the lessons from third-party intervention in civil conflicts in South Africa and Sierra Leone, Hopcroft in her winning essay observed:

"Although the course of outside intervention in civil conflict has not always run smoothly, intervention is still imperative…It is clear that many bloody conflicts would have been far more protracted, claimed more civilian lives and further threatened international stability, had outsiders failed to intervene."

USIP President Richard Solomon and Suzanne Hopcroft
at the Awards Banquet

THIRD PLACE
Kentucky
Mr. Scott Moore (Scott was unable to attend due to a prior commitment.)
du Pont Manual High School
Louisville, KY
Coordinator: Mr. Patrick Stevenson

"Peace Through Intervention: An Analysis of Foreign Involvement in Civil Conflict"

In describing the lessons from third-party intervention in civil conflicts in Rwanda and Northern Ireland, Moore in his winning essay commented:

"The weight of evidence indicates that indirect government intervention works best in negotiations…Yet the political capital of national governments is greater, and should be used to apply pressure to implement agreements reached through emissaries. Peace is elusive, but not impossible."

Scott Moore meets with Richard Solomon and Education Program Director Pamela Aall on a visit to the Institute after winning his award.