2012 Essay Contest Winners

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