2008 Student Winners
The winners of the Being an American Essay Contest have been announced! The winners, ten from each region, were recognized at the Being an American Student Awards Weekend in Washington, D.C. April 6-8, 2008.
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.” |
 | Second Place - Jim Irby “ "...in order to truly fulfill American principles, we must embody more than just a passive longing for justice; rather, we must so strongly believe in a more just world that we cannot help but take an active role in its creation. Action towards justice is the single most essential value that an American citizen can possess."” |
 | Third Place - Olivia Colville “ "...the greatest civic values are not those displayed by great people, but those displayed by ordinary people. Of these, the best is a trait known as initiative—having the gumption to work towards change, and refusing to accept the status quo."” |
 | Honorable Mention - Victoria Barber “ The willingness to speak up for the minority opinion, or even for the silent majority, is what makes America.” |
 | Honorable Mention - Charlotte Campbell “ It is a reporter’s duty to publish the unbiased truth. I understand that the Constitution allows newspapers liberty, yet the liberty must be employed wisely and justly.” |
 | Honorable Mention - Natalie Demarko “ In honor of all those who have fought to extend the right to vote, I will take advantage of this privilege as soon as age permits. Thanks to the Twenty- sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, when I reach eighteen years of age I will have the honor of voicing my opinions to the nation, an honor that my parents and grandparents did not have at that age.” |
 | Honorable Mention - Christine Diepenbrock “ "...a steadfast commitment to the discovery of truth is most essential to being an American. We must accept that we may be mistaken, that we are not the bearers of all knowledge, that in some cases we must yield in the face of truth. If all who call themselves Americans were to open their closed minds and earnestly pursue truth, Truth itself would make its dwelling among us, spreading its glorious light over the great nation which we call home."” |
 | Honorable Mention - Matt Schropp “ “'[We] enact,' Jefferson wrote, 'that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship…nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or beliefs.' This statement alone represents the equality which characterizes America. It mandates that the beliefs of all people should be respected and that these beliefs should never affect their civil liberties. It is the basis of the First Amendment to the Constitution."” |
 | Honorable Mention - Joshua Shackoor “ “[People] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Declaration of Independence).... It was that phrase which united a country to gain us our independence; it enlightened our values to abolish an unholy institution of slavery; it defines this country in the modern day.” |
 | Honorable Mention - Krista Witowski “ The 106th Infantry Division played the largest role in the final defeat of the German army.... My grandfather was a part of the 106th Infantry Division. On the third day of battle, he was shot in the arm by a German soldier. Though wounded, he persevered and fought.... Although he passed away many years ago, I still reflect often on how much a single man did for my freedom.” |
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Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation |
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