2008 First Place Winners
The first place winners in the Being an American Essay Contest have been announced! The top winners, one from each of three regions, were recognized at the Being an American Essay Contest Awards Gala Celebration on April 6, 2008 in Washington, D.C. To see pictures from the Gala, please click here.
To see all of the winners from each region, please select one of the following region:
All winners participated in an Awards Weekend that included visits to the White House, Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol. To see pictures from the Friday program, click here. To see pictures from the Saturday Awards Breakfast, click here.
South Atlantic Region - First Place
 | Andrew Rys “ The rise of factions and their conflicts… demands compromise. Compromise... is the civic value that binds together the unique strands of our American identity.” |
West North Central Region - First Place
 | Barbara Walkowiak “ The civic virtue of activism is the most important virtue because it is the stage from which all other virtues express themselves. If a person is unwilling to act upon their convictions, then their virtues are invisible.” |
West South Central Region - First Place
 | Jennifer Tran “ The American Dream requires people to step up and take the first step towards that dream; it won't just come to them…..An essential part of being American is possessing the initiative to strive relentlessly towards a dream.” |
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