WASHINGTON – Fifty-one American high school students have been named winners of the 18th annual National Peace Essay Contest, sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.  Each student will receive a $1,000 college scholarship and compete for the 2005 national first prize, a $10,000 college scholarship.  A list of winners, their schools, hometowns, essay titles, and faculty coordinators follows this release.

The contest, which is open to students in all American high schools, is designed to encourage serious and realistic thinking about issues of international conflict management and peacebuilding.  This year, approximately 4,000 students from American high schools throughout the United States and abroad wrote essays for the contest.  They conducted research and prepared essays on the complex issue of “Transitions to Democracy.”  Their essays explored factors leading to democratization and examined the role of democratic transitions in contributing to sustained peace or conflict.

The 51 winners will represent their states, the District of Colombia, U.S. territories, and American schools overseas in a program for state-level winners in Washington, DC from June 18 to 23, 2005.  Students will meet with senior U.S. government and foreign embassy officials, members of Congress, and other experts involved in the making of American foreign policy.  They will also assume the roles of diplomats, government officials, and members of the international community in a special three-day problem solving simulation focusing on Turkey’s transition to democracy.  The purpose of the exercise is to encourage the students to closely examine the challenges associated with democratization.  At week’s end, the national first-, second-, and third-place winners will be announced, and college scholarships of $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 will be awarded at a banquet on June 22.

As Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations recently stated, “we need people… who can help us restore peace and… help others understand our nation’s commitment to peace.”  “The National Peace Essay Contest helps create these peacemakers,” said Institute President Richard Solomon.  “It demands critical thought about the complexities of achieving and maintaining peace, and these students have risen to the challenge.  They are America’s future peacemakers and their dedication to these issues at such a young age is inspiring.”

You can keep apprised of what students are doing during their week in Washington on the Institute’s website at www.usip.org.  An electronic press kit with additional information on this year’s state winners and the National Peace Essay Contest week will be available online in June.

The U.S. Institute of Peace is an independent organization created and funded by Congress to promote research, education, and training on the prevention, management and peaceful resolution of international conflicts.  The National Peace Essay Contest is one of the Institute’s oldest continuing activities to promote civic education on international peace and conflict resolution.

2005 National Peace Essay Contest State Winners

Alabama
Mr. Luke Stannard
"The Economy and Democratic Reform"
Briarwood Christian School
Birmingham, AL
Coordinator: Ms. Marcia Garrison

Alaska
Mr. Scott Mahar
"Mali and Sudan: Two Sides of Democratic Transition"
A.J. Diamond High School
Anchorage, AK
Coordinator: Mr. Greg Brown

Arizona
Mr. Connor Mendenhall
"Democratic Reform in a Changing World: Political Culture and Pragmatic Change"
University High School
Tucson, AZ
Coordinator: Mr. Patrick F. McAndrew

Arkansas
Ms. Allyson White
"Mozambique and Burma: Grassroots Struggles for Democracy"
Pulaski Academy
Little Rock, AR
Coordinator: Mr. William J. Topich

California
Mr. Ravi Deedwania
"Negotiating Toward Democracy: South Africa Success; Cambodian Collapse"
Edison High School
Fresno, CA
Coordinator: Mr. Matthew Carl Ethen

Colorado
Ms. Jennifer Cline
"Democracy is Key to Global Peace"
Gateway High School
Aurora, CO
Coordinator: Mr. Phil Gerkin

Connecticut
Mr. Michael Morton
"Democracy: A Long-Term Process to Peace"
Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield, CT
Coordinator: Ms. Jane Monagan Marrone

District of Columbia
Ms. Olaronke Otubanjo
"Sound Peace Means A Right to Vote and Elect Leaders"
Benjamin Banneker Academic High School
Washington, DC
Coordinator: Mr. Leo Bowman

Florida
Ms. Julie Oswald
"Internal Factors and External Actors: Following the Path to Democracy and Peace"
C. Leon King High School
Tampa, FL
Coordinator: Mr. Michael J. Urbas

Georgia
Mr. Nakul Shekhawat
"Establishing Successful Democracies: Lessons Learned and Strategies for the Future"
Lakeside High School
Evans, GA
Coordinator: Mr. Charles Heywood

Hawaii
Mr. George Bogden
"Commitment, Consensus and Security: Three Steps to Democratization"
Punahou School
Honolulu, HI
Coordinator: Ms. Terrina Wong

Illinois
Ms. Kelly Zalocusky
"A Fight for Freedom: The Process of Successful Democratization"
Belleville East High School
Belleville, IL
Coordinator: Ms. Becky McGarrity

Indiana
Ms. Melissa Gymrek
"The Quest for Democracy: Conflict or Prosperity"
Andrean High School
Merrillville, IN
Coordinator: Mr. John J. Szot

Iowa
Mr. Benjamin Barclay
"The Role of Peace in Stable Governmental Transition"
Ames High School
Ames, IA
Coordinator: Mr. Tim Mooney

Kansas
Mr. Kyle Shernuk
"The Road to Solidarity"
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Overland Park, KS
Coordinator: Ms. Judy S. Watts

Kentucky
Ms. Meghan Shaughnessy
"South Africa and Zimbabwe: Distant Neighbors"
Notre Dame Academy
Park Hills, KY
Coordinator: Ms. Diana Timmerding

Louisiana
Ms. Elizabeth Archer
"Transitions to Democracy: A Step Toward Peace"
DeRidder High School
DeRidder, LA
Coordinator: Ms. Melinda Shirley

Maine
Ms. Caitlin Katsiaficas
"Transitions to democracy: What a Nation Needs to be Successful"
Portland High School
Portland, ME
Coordinator: Ms. Sarah Franklin

Maryland
Mr. Perry Hardin
"The Good and Not So Good of the Transition to Democracy In Vietnam and Ukraine"
Oxon Hill High School
Oxon Hill, MD
Coordinator: Ms. Effie S. Hillian

Massachusetts
Ms. Kathleen Moriarty
"Sustainable Change: Democracy and the Fluidity of the State"
Hampshire Regional High School
Haydenville, MA
Coordinator: Ms. Jeanne Moriarty

Michigan
Ms. Brittney Moraski
"Veni Vedi Vici Is Only the Beginning: Long-Term Democratization in Today's World"
Bark River - Harris High School
Harris, MI
Coordinator: Ms. Yvonne Mains

Minnesota
Ms. Christen Beckstrand
"Democracy: A Test in Perseverance"
Elk River Area High School
Elk River, MN
Coordinator: Mr. Tom Fuller

Mississippi
Ms. Susan Lawrence
"Creating Effective Democratic transitions in teh Twenty-First Century"
Madison Central High School
Madison, MS
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Shivers

Missouri
Mr. Ashish Premkumar
"A Game of Russian Roulette: Democratization in Sudan and Chile"
Rock Bridge High School
Columbia, MO
Coordinator: Mr. Matthew Cone

Nebraska
Ms. Jessica Perrigan
"Finding Peace: Japan and Cambodia"
Duchesne Academy
Omaha, NE
Coordinator: Ms. Virgie Oatman

Nevada
Ms. Brielle Phillips
"Angola and South Africa: Careful Planning is the Best Way to Ensure the Success of Democracy"
Virgin Valley High School
Mesquite, NV
Coordinator: Ms. Susan Bennett

New Hampshire
Ms. Claire Antaya
"Democracy: A Success or Failure?"
Winnacunnet High School
Hampton, NH
Coordinator: Ms. Oy McKenney

New Jersey
Mr. Joshua Mathew
"Burma and South Africa: Ethnonationalism and Democratization"
Junior Statesman of America
Lincroft, NJ
Coordinator: Mr. Jim Egan

New Mexico
Mr. Yuan Mei
"Successful Democratization through External and Internal Eforts"
Los Alamos High School
Los Alamos, NM
Coordinator: Ms. Nancy Schick

New York
Mr. Carmiel Schickler
"The Stuggle for Democracy: Weimar Germany and Lithuania"
Schreiber High School
Port Washington, NY
Coordinator: Mr. David O'Connor

North Carolina
Ms. Irene Norman
"Comparison of Attempts to Transition to Democracy: The 1956 Hungarian Revolution and the Velvet Revolution"
Cardinal Gibbons High School
Raleigh, NC
Coordinator: Ms. Pamela Heyl

North Dakota
Mr. Tyler Peterson
"Lithuania vs. Zimbabwe: What Constitutes Democracy?"
Trinity Bible College
Ellendale, ND
Coordinator: Mr. Warren Schlecht

Ohio
Ms. Elizabeth Ruff
"Success in Poland and Failure in Belarus"
Hathaway Brown School
Shaker Heights, OH
Coordinator: Ms. Judith Nelson

Oklahoma
Mr. Mark Donaldson
"Elements of Democratization in Poland and Pakistan"
Holland Hall
Tulsa, OK
Coordinator: Dr. Robert Donaldson

Oregon
Mr. Eugene Nho
"Four Elements of Successful Democratization"
South Eugene High School
Eugene, OR
Coordinator: Mr. David Inouye

Pennsylvania
Mr. Lee Huttner
"India and Tibet: Allies in an International Struggle"
Taylor Allderdice High School
Pittsburgh, PA
Coordinator: Ms. Molly Braver

Puerto Rico
Mr. Luis Somoza
"Finding the Steps Towards Democracy"
Academia del Perpetuo Socorro
San Juan, PR
Coordinator: Ms. Marie Gillette

Rhode Island
Ms. Elizabeth Petow
"Democracy: A Government of the People, By the People, For the People or Imposed on the People?"
St. Mary Academy Bay View
Riverside, RI
Coordinator: Ms. Marion Wrye

South Carolina
Ms. Jennie Band
"Post Communist Democratization: A comparason of two countries"
Irmo High School
Columbia, SC
Coordinator: Ms. Jan P. McCarthy

South Dakota
Mr. Christopher Bossen
"Transition to Democracy"
St. Thomas More High School
Rapid City, SD
Coordinator: Ms. Ann M. Trucano

Tennessee
Ms. Stephanie Hull
"Crossing the Ice to Democracy: Togo and South Korea"
Ravenwood High School
Brentwood, TN
Coordinator: Ms. Laura R. Cestone

Texas
Mr. Yu-hsuan Wang
"Steps to Democracy"
Coppell, TX
Coordinator: Dr. David Wang

Utah
Ms. DeeDee Nelson
"More Than International Support: Democratization in Kenya and Zimbabwe"
Bountiful High School
Bountiful, UT
Coordinator: Ms. Julia Nelson

Vermont
Mr. Seth Dickinson
"Colonialism and the Development of Democracy"
Middlebury Union High School
Middlebury, VT
Coordinator: Ms. Michelle Forman

Vermont
Ms. Ida Specker
"Peace-The Harvest of Democracy"
Vermont Academy
Saxtons River, VT
Coordinator: Mr. John Bohannon

Virginia
Ms. Jessica Kabaz-Gomez
"Russia and Chile: Two Ripples In The Waves of Democratization"
Oakton High School
Herndon, VA
Coordinator: Ms. Mercedes Gomez-Esteban

Washington
Ms. Wendy Gao
"Stabilize Democracy by Winning Support from All Parties"
Lindbergh High School
Renton, WA
Coordinator: Dr. John Gao

West Virginia
Mr. Victor Sella
"Three Essential Elements for Successful Democratization"
The Linsly School
Wheeling, WV
Coordinator: Mr. William L. Brubaker

Wisconsin
Ms. Molly Eaton
"Success and Failure of Democracy"
Oshkosh West High School
Oshkosh, WI
Coordinator: Mr. Paul Stellpflug

Wyoming
Ms. Nicole Bartholomew
"Democratization: Successful and Failed Attempts, Important Factors"
Worland High School
Worland, WY
Coordinator: Mr. Tim McGee

International/Overseas Schools
Ms. Alexis Kuiper
"Promoting Democracy: Renewed Commitment in an Era of Dynamic Change"
Girl Scouts Council of Nations Capital
Heidelberg, Germany
Coordinator: Ms. Jessica Hodgkins