American Freedom Essay Winners

Every Fall, in honor of Constitution Day & Citizenship Day, The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia sponsors its annual American Freedom Essay Contest. The American Freedom Essay Contest challenges educators to have their students write a 100-300 word essay on the importance of freedom in their lives. Entries are judged in Elementary School, Middle School and High School categories with the winner in each category earning a free field trip with The Constitutional Walking Tour for his/her class. The contest generally runs from September through mid-October each year. Check back in September for more details on the next contest.

 

2023

Freedom of Assembly: The Right to Protest!

Kalel Attonito
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Darien, CT
Hindley Elementary School
Teacher: Jeanne Turschmann

Unshackling Faith: Exploring Religious Freedom in The United States

Caroline Bender
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Philadelphia, PA
Norwood Fontbonne Academy
Teacher: Steve Wood

How America's Injustices Manifest a Stronger Nation

Cielo John
High School (Grades 9-12)
Bronx, NY
Preston HS
Teacher: Stephanie Mozzone

2022

The Right To Vote

Adriana Seigneur
High School (Grades 9-12)
Weymouth, MA
Weymouth High School
Teacher: Nathan Rand

The Voice on a Piece of Paper

Costanza Akkor
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Philadelphia, PA
Norwood Fontbonne Academy
Teacher: Judy Riviezzo

2021

Freedom of Speech

Clarissa Feichtel
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Mechanicsburg, PA
Eagle View Middle School
Teacher: Kim Dolbin

The Freedom to Speak

Daniel Kowalski
High School (Grades 9-12)
Weymouth, MA
Weymouth High School
Teacher: Nathan Rand

Freedom of Speech: the Right to Read!

Pavana Attonito
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Darien, CT
Hindley Elementary School
Teacher: Katy Gale

2020

Freedom to Vote

Liliana Hathaway
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Wormleysburg, PA
Harrisburg Academy
Teacher: Lindsay Bowman

Freedom to Vote

Jacinda Motley
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Reading, PA
Reiffton School
Teacher: Stephanie Isselmann

Why Freedom of Speech is Important

Teba Latef
High School (Grades 9-12)
Pittsburgh, PA
Mount Lebanon High School
Teacher: Marc Allemang

2019

What Freedom Means To Me

Julia Findikyan
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Pelham, NY
Pelham Middle School
Teacher: Kevin Miller

How Freedom of Speech Can Ignite Change

Madeline Cairl
High School (Grades 9-12)
Peekskill, NY
Peekskill High School
Teacher: Zorielle Rodriguez-Alcazar

Freedom of Religion

Dagny McGuire
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Sparks, MD
Sparks Elementary School
Teacher: Corjie Tarlton

2018

Prophecy of the American Dream Fulfilled

Suzy Ndandji
High School (Grades 9-12)
Cherry Hill, NJ
Camden Catholic High School
Teacher: Christine Palladino

The Need for Freedom

Lauren Tyler Kinard
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Merion Station, PA
Waldron Mercy Academy
Teacher: Eileen Flanagan

The Right To Vote

Dalia Moldovan
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Glen Ridge, NJ
Ridgewood Avenue School
Teacher: Alice Roberts

2017

The Freedom of Religion

Zoe Mendelsohn
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Wormleysburg, PA
Harrisburg Academy
Teacher: Lindsay Bowman

Make America Better

Ava Nelson
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Shrewsbury, MA
Spring Street School
Teacher: Sandra Travers

Freedom of the Press in American Society

Juliette Wilder
High School (Grades 9-12)
Greenwich, CT
Greenwich High School
Teacher: Megan Ostruzka

2016

The Freedom to Choose

Kathleen Finnegan
High School (Grades 9-12)
Greenwich, CT
Greenwich High School
Teacher: Aaron Hull

The 19th Amendment

Margaret Zhou
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Ridgewood, NJ
Hawes Elementary School
Teacher: Joseph Staunton

A Better America

Aastha Kapadia
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Morganville, NJ
Marlboro Memorial Middle School
Teacher: Amanda Hendrickson

2015

The Importance of Freedom of Religion

James Pocchia
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Staten Island, NY (Richmond County)
St. Patrick's School
Teacher: Phyllis Vreeland and Diane Sussuma

Freedom of Speech Leads to Ingenuity

Abigail Feda
High School (Grades 9-12)
Greenwich, CT (Fairfield County)
Greenwich High School
Teacher: Megan Roby

American Freedom

Noah Owen
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Pennsville, NJ (Salem County)
Central Park Elementary School
Teacher: Cheryl Guglielmo

2014

What Freedom Means To Me

Olivia Heim
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Lancaster, PA (Lancaster County)
Centerville Elementary School
Teacher: Cara Greer

Outlet of Liberty

Markelda Martinez
High School (Grades 9-12)
Philadelphia, PA (Philadelphia County)
Excel Academy South
Teacher: Jennifer Weaver

My Gratitude for Freedom of Speech

Emma Contiguglia
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
New York, NY (New York County)
The Nightingale-Bamford School
Teacher: Amanda Goodwin

2013

A Woman's Right to Vote

Elizabeth Zwikl
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Corapolis, PA (Allegheny County)
David E. Williams Middle School
Teacher: Michele Hutter

What Others Don’t Have: Freedom of Speech

Carmen Collins
High School (Grades 9-12)
Greenwich, CT (Fairfield County)
Greenwich High School
Teacher: Aaron Hull

American Freedoms and the Bill of Rights

Tywone Malone
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Jamesburg, NJ (Middlesex County)
JFK Elementary School
Teacher: Diana Kaiser

2012

How a Particular Freedom Makes People's Lives Better

Asia Johnson
High School (Grades 9-12)
Williamstown, NJ (Gloucester County)
Williamstown High School
Teacher: Dan Torcasio

The Freedom of Expression

Nathan Oalican
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Boston, MA (Suffolk County)
Boston Latin School
Teacher: Cate Arnold

American Freedom Essay

Alexa Shih
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Jackson, NJ (Ocean County)
Lucy Holman School
Teacher: Donna Carleton

2011

Freedom of Speech

McCall Johnson
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Annapolis, MD (Anne Arundel County)
St. Anne's School of Annapolis
Teacher: Yasmin Mesiya

The Freedom to Speech

Abigail Miller
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Fruitland, MD (Wicomico County)
Fruitland Intermediate School
Teacher: Christy Briggs

Development of Freedom

Madeline Wolf
High School (Grades 9-12)
Greenwich, CT (Fairfield County)
Greenwich High School
Teacher: Aaron Hull

2010

Freedom of Speech

Laura Wojcik
High School (Grades 9-12)
Pennsauken, NJ (Camden County)
Bishop Eustace Preparatory School
Teacher: Kathleen Burke-Esposito

I Can Speak Up, Hence I am Free

Alexa Carter
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Fort Lee, NJ (Bergen County)
Lewis F. Cole Middle School
Teacher: Marianne Nugent

Liberty for All

Sabrina Traktorchuk
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Huntingdon Valley, PA
Rydal East Elementary School
Teacher: Ashley Garrett

2009

Speaking Out and Speaking Freely

Hunter James
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Newtown, CT (Fairfield County)
Reed Intermediate School
Teacher: Valerie Pagano-Hepburn

Freedom of the Press

Andrew Fixler
High School (Grades 9-12)
Weston, MA (Middlesex County)
Weston High School
Teacher: Don Benson

Why Freedom Matters in My Life

Dylan Bresnan
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
New York, NY (New York County)
Trevor Day School
Teacher: Liz Fishman

2008

Freedom Is...

Gia Montemuro
High School (Grades 9-12)
Cinnaminson, New Jersey (Burlington County)
Cinnaminson High School
Teacher: Daniel Matz

Basic Freedom, Big Impact

Duncan Reehl
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Milford, New Jersey (Hunterdon County)
Holland Township
Teacher: Sandra Ozgar

Freedom

Samantha Chong
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Weehawken, New Jersey (Hudson County)
Theodore Roosevelt School #5
Teacher: Patricia Allegretta

2007

This is what FREEDOM means to me

Leah Huebner
Elementary School (Grades 1-5)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County)
William H. Loesche School
Teacher: Merle Fine

Freedom of Speech

Alexander Sliwecki
High School (Grades 9-12)
Cinnaminson, New Jersey (Burlington County)
Cinnaminson High School
Teacher: Megan Schweitzer

Freedom Must Carry On

Santina Pescatore
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Merion Station, Pennsylvania (Montgomery County)
Waldron Mercy Academy
Teacher: Eileen Flanagan
   
   
To read the rules and entry requirements, click here.
 
Any views, opinions or commentary expressed by the authors of the winning essays in the American Freedom Essay Contest are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia, its affiliates, its officers, its directors, its employees, its Sponsors, and/or its agents in any manner whatsoever. The Constitutional Walking Tour does not make any guarantees, express or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information contained or quoted in the reprinted essays.
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