The names of all winners and honorable mentions of the 24th annual Celebration of Youth essay contest are listed below. We congratulate them and are very proud of each one.
Grades 4 to 6 Winners
First Place: Akari Davidson* – Grade 6, Alice Deal MS, Ms. Harlan Kinzer
Second Place: Elena Remez** – Grade 6, Alice Deal MS, Ms. Anita Ruiz
Third Place: Jin Zheng – Grade 5, Thomson ES, Ms. Jacqueline Bruce-Yamin
Fourth Place: Irina Benson – Grade 6, Stuart Hobson MS, Ms. Victoria Pearson
Fifth Place: Ibrahim Kassim, Jr. – Grade 5, Thomson ES, Ms. Jacqueline Bruce-Yamin
Grades 7 to 9 Winners
First Place: Xiu Qi Chen*** – Grade 8, Alice Deal MS, Mr. Robert Otterstatter
Second Place: Celia Reilly – Grade 9, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Mr. Koye Oyedeji
Third Place: Ja’ Bria Agnew**^ – Grade 7, Whittier EC, Ms. Galemarie Ola
Fourth Place: Itiesha Dean**** – Grade 8, Whittier EC, Ms. Brawley & Ms. Ola
Fifth Place: Nyat Ghidei**^ – Grade 9, Columbia Heights EC, Ms. Sarah Elwell
Sixth Place: Jessica Rubio – Grade 8, Meridian PCS, Mrs. Juliet Amerding
Seventh Place: Vy Ngo – Grade 7, Jefferson MS, Ms. Monica Martinez
Eighth Place: Liliana Campos – Grade 7, Meridian PCS, Ms. Juliet Armerding
Ninth Place: David Caruth**^ – Grade 8, Alice Deal MS, Ms. Mostoller
Tenth Place: Zahra Wardrick**^ – Grade 8, Alice Deal MS, Ms. Ana Hernandez
We received three times as many essays from students in grades 7 to 9 as we did from students in grades 4 to 6. We therefore awarded more prizes in grades 7 to 9.
2012 Essay Contest Honorable Mentions
Peaira Brittingham – Grade 7, Meridian PCS, Mrs. Armerding
Samuel Debrow – Grade 7, John Burrroughs EC, Ms. Shendrina Alexander
Nora Gushue – Grade 9, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Mr. Koye Oyedeji
Tahtierra Hall – Grade 7, Meridian PCS, Mrs. Juliet Armerding
Arvel Harper – Grade 6, Eliot Hine Middle School, Pk Naylor CC, Mr. James Brown
Jasmine Johnson – Grade 7, Meridian PCS, Mrs. Armerding
Rebeca Manzano – Grade 5, Thomson ES, Ms. Jacqueline Bruce-Yamin
Christabell Mbah*^ – Grade 7, Whittier EC, Ms. Galemarie Ola
Caitie McDermott – Grade 7, Alice Deal MS, Mr. Hughes
Kiara Moore – Grade 7, Meridian PCS, Mrs. Armerding
Ayomide Okuleye*^^ – Grade 7, Washington Latin PCS, Ms. Breitman
Adebowale Oyewole – Grade 7, John Burroughs EC, Ms. Shendrina Alexander
Nashae Prout – Grade 8, John Burroughs EC, Ms. Shendrina Alexander
Gabrielle Quenga – Grade 9, McKinley Technology HS, Dr. Anna Kinsman
Blane Tadesse – Grade 5, Thomson ES, Ms. Prater
Tyranae Trowell – Grade 6, Browne EC, Lan-Anh Pham
Rayshad J. Whitaker – Grade 8, Columbia Heights EC, Ms. Sarah Elwell
* First Place Winner in 2011
** Honorable Mention in 2010
**^ Honorable Mention in 2011
*** Third Place Winner in 2009 and Honorable Mention in 2011
**** Third Winner in 2010 and Fifth Place Winner in 2011
*^Fourth Place Winner in 2011
*^^ Fifth Place Winner in 2011