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2001 Anthem Essay Contest

First Place

Daniel Higginbotham, Heritage High School, Lynchburg, VA
[Read essay]

Second Place

Christine James, Kentucky Country Day School, Louisville, KY
Connor Shaughnessy, Stanton College Preparatory School, Jacksonville, FL
Dennis McKenna, Islip High School, Islip, NY
Hannah Atkinson Renglich, Academy for Gifted Children, Toronto, Canada
James Utt, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Jeanne Lichterman, Academy for Gifted Children, Toronto, Canada
Josh Duncan, Hilliard Darby High School, Hilliard, OH
Lauren Moore, Parkway West High School, Ballwin, MO
Maren Daniel, Rex Putnam High School, Milwaukie, OR
Ryan Newberry, Northwest Guilford High School, Greensboro, NC

Third Place

Aaron Chiu, Academy for Gifted Children, Toronto, Canada
Aaron Henry, Academy for Gifted Children, Toronto, Canada
Ashika Bhan, Johansen High School, Modesto, CA
Christine Utter, University City High School, San Diego, CA
Chrystal Melton, Pocatello High School, Pocatello, ID
Caryn Hassel, Hartland High School, Hartland, MI
Elena Fabrikant, Mission San Jose High School, Fremont, CA
Ingrid Elise Van Swearingen, Edmonds-Woodway High School, Edmonds, WA
Janina Moretti, Narbonne Math Science Magnet, Harbor City, CA
Jessica Shafer, Dutch Fork High School, Irmo, SC
Kelly Beahm, Butler Intermediate High School, Butler, PA
Kristen Egan, Conrad Weiser High School, Robesonia, PA
Laura Stafford, Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, North Dighton, MA
Natalie Spritzer, Shattuck-St. Mary's School, Faribault, MN
Rebecca Stein, Academy for Gifted Children, Toronto, Canada
Rosalie Gilbert, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Chevy Chase, MD
Sarah Beth Glicksteen, Bartram Trail High School, Jacksonville, FL
Sean Sullivan, Prospect High School, Mount Prospect, IL
Swarupa Pisupati, Passaic High School, Passaic, NJ
Will Haw, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA

Finalists

Audra Hilse, Coon rapids High School, Coon Rapids, MN
Ben Cober, Mariemont High School, Cincinnati, OH
Catherine Chang, Saratoga High School, Saratoga, CA
Chelsea Scecina, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX
Christina C Thomas, St Thoams Aquinas High School, Hammond, LA
Christina Ortega, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX
Courtney Lare, Hilliiard Darby High School, Hilliard, OH
Crysten McKenzie, Dulaney High School, Timonium, MD
Daniel Streitfeld, Shepton High School, Plano, TX
Drew Johnson, Burley Junior High School,k Burley, ID
Elise Nickolaisen,Granite Hills High School, Apple Valley, CA
Elizabeth Hillaker, Flafler Palm Coast High School, Burnell, FL
Emily Etinger, Marblehead High School, Marblehead, MA
Erin O'Brien, Tustin High School, Tustin, CA
Ethan Wolk, Solomon Schechter High School, Glen Cove, NY
Jack Loveridge, W.H. Burges High School, El Paso, TX
Jacob Norton, Traverse City Junior High School, Traverse City, MI
Jenny Downey, Pocatello High School, Pocatello, Idaho
Joe Mische, Technical High School, Saint Cloud, MN
Kaitlyn Bice, Granite Hills High School, El Cajon, CA
Kalais Clyde, Hurricane High School, Hurricane, UT
Katie Lupoli, Blackman High School, Murfreesboro, TN
Kelcey Johnson, Windham High School, Willimantic, CT
Kelly Thomas, George Jenkins High School, Lakeland, FL
Kendra Noyes, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, CA
Kristen Turner, Northside Christian Academy, Charlotte, NC
Laurel Maughan, James River High School, Midlothian, VA
Lauren Shawcross, Spanish River High School, Boca Raton, FL
Lee A. Walsh, La Cueva High School, Albuquerque, NM
Lisa Deuel, Webster High School, Webster, NY
Louis Jordan, Clay High School, South Bend, IN
Mae Ann Lindsey, Ada High School, Ada, OK
Mara Phillips, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Matt Bomberg, Ronald Reagan High School, San Antonio, TX
Max Schaffer, Lamar High School, Houston, TX
Michelle Sherger, Ridgefield Memorial High School, Ridgefield, NJ
Pamela Collins, Amphitheatre High School, Tucson, AZ
Rachel Dykes, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX
Rebecca Faber, Solomon Schechter High School, Glen Cove, NY
Rita Koganzon, Niles West High School, Skokie, IL
Sara Leitnaker, Air Academy High School, USAFA, CO
Scott Miller, Fargo South high School, Fargo, ND
Stephen Gulick, Truman High School, Independence, MO
Steve Dombek, Rockville High School, Vernon, CT
Tanesha Fields, Walnut Hills High School, Cincinnati, OH

Semi-Finalists

Aaron Frey, Los Angeles Centered for Enriched Studies, Los Angeles, CA
Adriel Duncan, Beech High School, Hendersonville, TN
Adrienne Masler, Homer Senior High School, Homer, NY
Alan Barnes, Chagrin Falls High School, Chagrin Falls, OH
Alessia Santarossa, International School of Beijing, PRC, Beijing
Alexander J. Mendez, Lopez Island High School, Lopez Island, WA
Alexandra Bennett, California Area High School, Coal Center, PA
Amanda Eshenour, Big Spring High School, Newville, PA
Ana Kadkhodayan, Collinsville High School, Collinsville, IL
Andrew J. Whitmer, Fellowship Christian Academy, Meuthuen, MA
Andrew Litaker, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX
Andrew Ollett, William Floyd High School, Mastic Beach, NY
Andrew Seal, Richmond High School, Richmond Indiana
Andromeda Huff, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Greenbelt, MD
Angie Danis, Parkway West High School, Bellwin, MO
Ann Watts, Oldenberg Academy, Oldenberg, IN
Anna Boatwright, Ashley Hall, Chatleston, SC
Anna Moncure, Douglas Southall Freeman High School, Richmond, VA
Anna Myers, Victor Valley High School, Victorville, CA
Annie Rouff, Yuma High School, Yuma, AZ
Ari Katz, Freehold Township High School, Freehold, NJ
Ashlee Keeports, Air Academy High School, USAFA, CO
Ashley Hartman, William Flemming High School, Roanoke, VA
Ashley Iliff, Salina high School, Salinas, CA
Ashley Kinsey, Lakewood Ranch High School, Bradenton, FL
Ashley Monique Lusch, Port Zumwalt South High School, St. Peters, MO
Asja Eckertson, Central Junior High School, Lawrence, KS
Benjamin Frank Patterson, Fellowship Christian Academy, Methuen, MA
Brad Rogers, Marblehead High School, Marblehead, MA
Brandy Jacob, Keystone High School, Lagrange, OH
Brent Franklin, West High School, Painted Post, NY
Brianne Rice, Thousand Oaks High School, Thousand Oaks, CA
Caitlin Golden, Walsington Academy, Williamsburg, VA
Carl Reeder, Air Academy High School, United States Air Force Academy, CO
Carly DiFulvio, Webster High School, Webster, NY
Carolyn Watson, William Fleming High School, Roanoke, VA
Cassidy Blackburn, Scottsbluff, Senior High School, Scottsbluff, NE
Cassie Maue, Camplin Park High School, Champlin, MN
Chris Nelson, James River High School, Midlothian, VA
Cindy Cheng, International School of Beijing, P.R. China, Beijing
Coby Kestner, Dublin high School, Dublin, TX
Cory Angert, Kerr High School, Houston, TX
Courtney Kildosher, Holy Family Academy
Dan Erin, Serra Catholic High School, McKeesport, PA
Dan Jones, Champlin Park High School, Champlin, MN
Danielle Marie Franklin, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Devon Reynoso-Scarber, Reedley High School, Reedley, CA
Diana Comes, Lakewood Ranch High School, Bradenton, FL
Dieu-Huong Huynh, Evergreen High School, Vancouver, WA
Drake Allsop, Elk Ridge Middle School, South Jordan, UT
Eastin Isaac, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX
Edward Finley, St. Joseph's Prep, Philadelphia, PA
Elena Klevsky, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School, Miami, FL
Elena Parker, Hammonton High School, Hammonton, NJ
Elizabeth Gilbert, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Elizabeth Joyce, Lamar High School, Houston, TX
Emily Zettner, University of San Diego High School, San Diego, CA
Erich Riegel, Heidelberg American High School, APO, AE
Erika Lugo, 50 Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Erin Bala, Helix Charter High School, La Mesa, CA
Erin Barr, Bishop Quinn High School, Palo Cedro, CA
Erin Parkey, Beech High School, Hendersonville, TN
Fadi, Awadalla, Ramapo High School, Wyckoff, NJ
Freddie JiGuang Zhang, The international School of Beijing, Jiang Tai Road, Beijing
Hiba Zakai, Rahima Academy High School, Khobar, AL
Hilary Foucht, Salinas High School, Salinas, CA
Jacob Fly, White Station High School, Memphis, TN
Jake Smith, Haverford High School, Havertown, PA
Jake Stewart, Clay High School, Oregon, OH
Jame L. Schut, Highland High School, Hardy, AR
Janna Michelena, Lyman High School, Longwood, FL
Jason Meeks, Webster High School,
Jason Niwa, Kaimuki High School, Honolulu, HI
Jeff Nye, Pocatello High School, Arthur, ID
Jehee Choi, West Brook Senior High School, Beaumont, TX
Jennifer Boyd, Lamar High School, Houston, TX
Jennifer Tibbett, Granite Hills High School, Apple Valley, CA
Jessa Keller, Oswego High School, Oswego, IL
Jessica Pevzner, Garden School, Jackson Heights, NY
Jessica Ruiz, Tuloso-Midway High School, Corpus Christi, TX
Jessica Schink, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Scotch Plains, NJ
Johnny Sun, International School of Beijing, PRC China, Beijing
Jonathan Berry, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Joseph Menz, Milford, MA
Joseph S. Preissig, Design and Technology Academy, San Antonio, TX
Josh Tobias, Solomon Schecter High School of Long Island, Glen Cove, NY
Joshua Matz, Suffern High School, Suffern, NY
Joy Smith, Lakeside High School, Atlanta, GA
J-P Verheul, James River High School, Midlothian, VA
Julia Bobbitt, Broughton High School, Raleigh, NC
Kalynn Moll, Lakewood Ranch High School, Bradenton, FL
Karen Anne Carmichael, Oscoda Area High School, Oscoda, MI
Katharine Bolen, Lamar High School, Houston, TX
Kathleen Hackett, Berrien Springs High School, Berrien Springs, MI
Kathleen McAlpine, Mirabeau B. Lamar Senior High School, Houston, TX
Kathrine Stadelman, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Kathryn Hefferman, Fox Chapel Area High School, Pittsburgh, PA
Katie Hilliard, Penncrest High School, Media, PA
Katie Phillips, PACE The Academy for Gifted Children, Richmond Hill, Ontario
Katie Wierenga, C.S. Lewis School, Boise, ID
Kalvin Wang, Saratoga High, Saratoga, CA
Kimberly Nicole Snyder, Saratoga Springs, Junior High School, Saratoga Springs, NY
Kristen Anderson, Boyertown Junior High School, Boyertown, PA
Laura Dorough, F.W. Sprinstead High School, Spring Hill, FL
Laura Malament, North Central High School, Indianapolis, IN
Laura Richert, Pocatello High School, Pocatelo, ID
Lauren Gentry, Stratford High School, Houston, TX
Lauren Kleess, Boyd H. Anderson High School, Lauderdale Lakes, FL
Leslie Tomac, Webster High School,
Lindsay Brown, Marblehead High School, Marblehead, MA
Lindsey R. Damron, Keystone High School, Le Grange, OH
Liz Forsberg, Villa Maria Academy, Erie, PA
Loryn Cesario, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Manna Kopytkovskiy, Evergreen Jr. High School, Salt Lake City, UT
Matthew Ruiz, Reedley High School, Reedley, CA
Meaghan Callahan, Marblehead High School, Marblehead, MA
Megan Morris, Clifton High School, Clifton, TX
Megan Rolland, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Meghan Brady, Hackettstown High School, Hackettstown, NJ
Melanie Cheever, William Floyd High School, Mastic Beach, NY
Melly J.Mendez, Lopez Island High School, Lopez Island, WA
Michael Ellebogen, Douglas S. Freeman High School, Richmond, VA
Michael Matthews, Rampart High School, Colorado Springs, CO
Michael Salerno, South Plainfield High School, South Plainfield, NJ
Michael Wright, Red Lion Area Senior High School, Red Lion, PA
Miranda Selover, Hackettstown High School, Hackettstown, NJ
Molly Mooney, Pocatello High School, Pocatello, ID
Morgan Dwyer, James B. Conant High School, Hoffman Estates, IL
Nathan Cannell, Reedley High School, Reedley, CA
Nathan Thomas Hatridge, Memorial High School-Stroman Campus, Victoria, TX
Natsu Carmony, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX
Nicholas Favela, Memorial High School-Stroman Campus, Victoria, TX
Niti Shah, The Webb School, Bell Buckle, TN
Orly Bertel, Solomon Schechter High School of Long Island, Glen Cove, NY
Paayal Gupta, Round Rock High School, Round Rock, TX
Paola Guzman, University of San Diego High School, San Diego, CA
Peter Allen, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Peter Cao, Debakey High School for Health Professions, Houston, TX
Rachael Wingerd, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
Rachel Brown, Carolina Forest High School, Myrtle Beach, SC
Rachel Smith, Marblrehead High School, Marblehead, MA
Raphaelle Labeurg, Ronald Reagen High School, San Antonio, TX
Reid Ethan Johnson, Hayesville High School, Hayesville, NC
Richard Adams, International School of Beijing, PRC, Beijing
Rochelle Mellish, Northbrook High School, Houston, TX
Ryan Patrick Mahony, Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, VA
Sally Stowell, Air Academy High School, USAFA, CO
Sam Richter, Spanish River Community High School, Boca Raton, FL
Samantha Lopez, Highland High School, Hardy, AR
Sarah Nabih Hassoun, Rahima Academy High School, Khobar-AL, Saudi Arabia
Sarah Nelson, Champlin Park High School, Champlin, MN
Sarah Rawlings, Stanton College Preparatory High School, Jacksonville, FL
Sarah Robinson, The International School of Beijing, P.R. China, Beijing
Sarina Mohan, Narbonne Math/Science, Magnet High School, Harbor City, CA
Shana Hollis, Columbia Falls High School, Columbia Falls, MT
Shane Wood, DISD, Dublin, TX
Shannon Wagner, Red Lion Area Senior High School, Red Lion, PA
Shiv Verma, Tracy High School, Tracy, CA
Sophia Powe, Boyd Anderson High School, Lauderdale Lakes, FL
Steve Peterson, International school of Beijing, PRC, Beijing
Sue Lynn Walker, Flower Mound High School, Flower Mound, TX
Tabitha Clark, Milford High School, Milford, MA
Taeko Smith, Pocatello High School, Pocatello, ID
Tiffany Brooks, Lamphere High School, Madison Heights, MI
Tiffany Chang, Troy High School, Fullerton, CA
Tony Lieu, Alief Hastings High School, Houston, TX
Tosha Keffer, Bishop Quinn High School, Palo Cedro, CA
Tracy Boutrus, Fellowship Christian Academy, Methuen, MA
Travis Barrett, Richardson North Junior High School, Richardson, TX
Valerie Seeley, Forest Hills Central, Grand Rapids, MI
Vijnata Trivedi, Stanton College Preparatory School, Jacksonville, FL
Whitney K. Clement, DeQuincy High School, DeQuincy, LA
Will Lehmitz, Elk Ridge Middle School, South Jordan, UT