The Carson City School District’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce nine student winners of the 22nd Annual American Citizen Essay Contest. Each winner was recognized at the school board meeting Tuesday, Nov. 14, and received the following cash prizes: First Place: $100, Second Place: $50 and Third Place: $30.
Any public, charter, private or home-schooled student in Carson City was able to participate in the contest. Essays were no longer than five (5) pages but could be as short as the student desired. The essay could also have been handwritten or typed. Grade level winners include the following.
Elementary School Level:
First Place - Eunice Nalapo, fifth grade, Seeliger Elementary School
Second Place - Gavin Santiago, fifth grade, Seeliger Elementary School
Third Place - Jacklyn Sullivan, fourth grade, Mark Twain Elementary School
Middle School Level:
First Place - Caden Kabour, seventh grade, St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School
Second Place - Annie Munson, seventh grade, Bethlehem Lutheran School
Third Place - Reese Wade, sixth grade, St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School
High School Level:
First Place - Brynn Russell, 12th grade, Carson High School
Second Place - Madison Vaccaro, ninth grade, Carson High School
Third Place - Lucas Valdez, ninth grade, Carson High School
The annual contest began in 2002 to honor the memory and events of September 11, 2001. There were 318 total entries (203 Elementary, 45 Middle School and 70 High School). Essays were judged within each grade level as they followed adherence to the topic, their quality of writing and their originality of thought. The topic this year was the following:
“Imagine you’re making your community a better place. As a good citizen, what would you do and why?”
The contest was announced Tuesday, Sept. 5, and completed essays were due Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. The first page of the essay included the student’s name (first and last), his or her age, grade, telephone number, teacher’s name and school. Included here are the first-place winning essays for Elementary, Middle and High School Levels.