MARINA DEL REY, CA -- The following students have won the Ayn Rand Institute's eighth annual Anthem essay contest:
First Prize ($1,000):
Kate Stafford, Dighton Rehoboth Regional H.S., North Dighton, MA
Second Prize ($200):
Ariel Anderson, University H.S., Chicago, IL
Ian Ehrlich, Bloomingdale H.S., Valrico, FL
Justin Fowler, Millbrook H.S., Raleigh, NC
Elaine Hart, Mt Rainier H.S., Des Moines, WA
Rebecca Knapp, Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology, Hackensack, NJ
Allison Massa, Dover Area H.S., Dover, PA
Elinathan Ohiomoba, Milton Academy, Milton, MA/Houston, TX
Rose Weill, Thomas Jefferson H.S. for Science and Tech., Alexandria, VA
Kaitlin McDonough, Randolph H.S., Randolph, NJ
Daniel Findlay, Grand Junction H.S., Grand Junction, CO
Third Prize ($100):
Allison Davis, West H.S., Anchorage, AK
Ben Whatley, Dothan H.S., Dothan, AL
Corinn Kopczynski, Los Angeles County H.S. for the Arts, Los Angeles, CA
Tania Henetz, Junipero Serra H.S., San Diego, CA
Michael Le, University of San Diego H.S., San Diego, CA
Braden Meason, Grand Junction H.S., Grand Junction, CO
Chika Anekwe, Bunnell H.S., Stratford, CT
Marcus Johnson, Jenkins High School, Savannah, GA
Rachel Charity Mazique, John Hersey H.S., Arlington Heights, IL
Hilary Queen, East Gaston H.S., Gastonia, NC
Meg Slachetka, Hackettstown H.S., Hackettstown, NJ
Melissa Brody, Benjamin N. Cardozo H.S., Bayside, NY
Jessica Kenyon, Marathon Central School, Marathon, NY
Rachael Tlumak, Miller Place H.S., Miller Place, NY
Emily Smith, Chagrin Falls H.S., Chagrin Falls, OH
Stacey Moritz, Maumee H.S., Maumee, OH
Jennifer Sherwood, Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA
Leath Bing, White Station H.S., Memphis, TN
Aaron Heckelman, Mirabeau B. Lamar H.S., Houston, TX
Jason Noel Mills, Norfolk Collegiate School, Norfolk, VA
Open to high school freshmen and sophomores, the Anthem essay contest required contestants to write on one of several topics dealing with the characters and themes in the novel. The contest is designed to promote critical thinking and writing skills. Essays are judged on both style and content.
First published in 1938, Anthem depicts a collectivist dictatorship in a future in which the word "I" has vanished, and how a lone dissident discovers the lost word's spiritual meaning.
ARI awards one $1,000 first prize, ten second prizes of $200, and 20 third prizes of $100. The Institute also sponsors an annual essay contest -- for high school juniors and seniors -- based on Ayn Rand's best-selling novel The Fountainhead, with a first prize of $10,000. Since 1985, a total of more than 76,000 high school students from around the world have entered ARI essay contests. More than 4,300 students from around the world entered this year's Anthem essay contest.
Information about next year's competition as well as a complete list of this year's winners can be found at http://aynrand.org/contests/