Winners of HSLDA's Annual Essay Contest

Category 1 (ages 7–10): Some foods are pure delight to find at the dinner table, and then some foods make us wrinkle our noses. There are many reasons why this can be—textures, colors, smells . . . In an essay, use your five senses to describe what food you most commonly leave on your plate at the end of a meal and tell us why you’d rather sneak it to the dog.

Finalists:

“Disgusting Squash” by Sebastian Gorg, Warrenton, VA

“My Feelings on Sour Cream” by Joe Applequist, Colorado Springs, CO

“A Questionable Food” by Ezekiel Johnston, Gainesville, FL

“Mashed Potato Role Model” by Hailey Zurcher, Fort Wayne, IN

“That Thing on My Plate” by Aylin McFarland, Riverie, FL

“Yogurt…YUCK!” by Kiley Layne, Derry, NH

“The Worst Food Known to Man and My Experience with It” by Avery Enseleit, Oakwood, OH

“The Night of the Gross Quiche” by Avery Enseleit, Oakwood, OH

“The Tragic Tale of the Cherry Swirl” by Brendan Houghland, Benson, AZ

“Mashed Potatoes” by Calvin Ragan, Tulsa, OK

“Thanks, but no thanks!” by Lia Galadriel Neira, Morgantown, WV

“Why I Think Onions are Disgusting” by Jenuine Wong, Richmond Hill, Ont.

Category 2 (ages 11–14): 

This year has been full of many serious things. In turbulent times, it’s important to keep a good sense of humor and to encourage each other with a good chuckle and lighthearted cheer. Write a funny essay that will persuade the judges to laugh.

An example of humorous writing can be found in this excerpt from Mark Twain’s essay “Advice to Youth”: 

“Always obey your parents, when they are present. This is the best policy in the long run, because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgment.”

Finalists:

“The Wild Child: My Silly Sibling” by Sylvan Cocco-Romano

“The Bat Who Wanted to Learn” by Hannah Priestley, Bridgeport, WV

“The Adventures of Sir Collins” by David Smith, Lakeland, FL

“When the Universe Jokes” by Ethan Clark, Orlando, FL

“Laws to Laugh At” by Abigail Biank, Blachardville, WI

“The Great Treat Chase” by Agnes Willis, Arden, NC
“The Benefits of Math” by Reagan Smith, Roanoke, VA

“How to Write a Winning Essay” by Evelyn Fisher, Lubbock, TX

“Two Cowboys” by Olivia Ragan, Tulsa, OK
“There is a Hippo in my House” by Koralyn Rearick, North Garden, VA

“The Greatest Tragedy” by Francie Lenhart, Milwaukie, OR

“To the Rescue” by Mia Fuhriman, Nashport, OH

Category 3 (ages 15–19): Staying at home has its benefits, but it also has its challenges. This year you may have found yourself thinking of some creative solutions to make a quarantine less burdensome. What invention can you imagine would make your life, and others’ lives, easier during a time in quarantine? Describe your invention and what we could gain from it.

 

Finalists:
“The Ultimate Inflatable Life-Changing Corona-Doughnut” by Alyssa Jones, Burleson, TX
“Friends for a Journey” by Caspar Rupp, Fineview, NY

“There’s a Teacher in My Room!” by Karise Sherman, North Brunswick, NJ

“Memorable Moments During a Pandemic” by Jaden Somerville, White Plains, MD

“The Can-Do-It” by Chloe Bullard, Loganville, GA
“The Event Predictor” by Micah Longden, Charlotte, MI

“Traditions of Our World” by Olivia Ramsay, Beaverton, OR

“The Hello Friend” by Charlotte Chiang, Sugarland, TX
“Universal Application Lock—A System for a Better Tomorrow” by Elizabeth Campbell, Wayne, WV

“My Wings” by Tanager Ryan, Yakima, WA
“Kindness Boredom Busters” by Lydia Hinely, Sanford, FL

“SootheRoom” by Kiele Robledo, Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Category 1 (Ages 7–10): A friend is a special gift—someone whom you can play with, talk to, and trust. Sometimes you find friends in surprising places; maybe your friend is not your peer or is pretend. The comic Calvin and Hobbes features a great example of a make-believe friend, Hobbes the imaginary tiger. A friend can be a family member, one of your pets, or somebody from your church or another group. Tell us about one of your friends, whether real or imaginary. 

 

Finalists:

“The Best Sister Ever” by Savannah Stockard, Seminole, FL

“International Friends” by Ella Cox, APO, AE

“Helen: A picture of faithfulness” by Allie Wisor, Ashtabula, OH

“My Dog Malley” by Sarah Ratica, Mentor, OH

“My Friend Francisco” by Felipe Castillo, Ave Maria, FL

“A Terrific Comrade” by Philip Rosser, Arlington, TX

“The Surprise Friend” by Denali Loader, Liberty Lake, WA

“The Unforgettable time” by Kaitlyn Jeng, San Jose, CA

“My First Best Friend” by Jeremiah Sisemore, Fredericksburg, TX

“My Very Best Friend” by Caleb Cagasan, Carrollton, GA

“My Friend Caleb” by Anderson Sears, Haymarket, VA

“My Friend Audrey” by Annabeth Riley, Franklin, IN

 

Category 2 (Ages 11–14): Sometimes life places us in uncomfortable and uncertain situations. For instance, when a natural disaster occurs, our families may have to evacuate to a safer place than home. In a situation like this, it’s important to have the essentials ready to go—say, in an emergency backpack. If you were to prepare an emergency backpack, what would you put in it? 

 

Finalists:

“Cherished Memories” by Evelyn Fisher, Lubbock, TX

“Preparedness and Uncertainties: The Importance of Intellectual, Mental, and Spiritual Health” by Janette Kotan, Roswell, GA

“A Pack for Hard Times” by Blake Schaper, Alton, IL

“Food, Water and Warmth” by Guinevere Cockey, Tyaskin, MD

“Anxiety Backpack” by Joseph Baker, Atchison, KS

“My Packing List:” by Eliza Hickman, Denton, TX

“How to Prepare an Emergency Bag 101” by Braxton Randall, Inver Grove Heights, MN

“Ready to Go” by Darby Espiritu, Oviedo, FL

“Emergency Backpack Guide” by Douglas Marshall, Kalispell, MT

“Mission:ERB- Emergency Relocation Backpack” by Sophia Patellis, Jackson Heights, NY

“Emergency Backpack” by Araba Abanyie, Berlin, NJ

 

 

 

Category 3 (Ages 15–19): Challenging experiences teach us important, practical lessons about life and about ourselves, and navigating a pandemic is no exception. Now, think into the future. . . .  If we were to experience another pandemic in 2051, what three significant lessons from this past year would you want to pass on to the generation of teenagers going through that future pandemic?

 

Finalists:

“To Teenagers in 2051” by Julia Hayes, Flagstaff, AZ

“Lessons I Learned from Covid” by Monica Morris, Meshoppen, PA

“Dear Futura” by Abigail Ho, Culver City, CA

“Advice to Teenagers in 2051” by Eden Troyer, Columbia, PA

“Persevering in Difficult Times” by Isabella Hayes, Flagstaff, AZ

“Constructive or Destructive?” by Jenavieve Ahuja, Simi Valley, CA

“Pandemic Lessons” by Elijah Cockey, Tyaskin, MD

“Life Is Not Over” by Alajia Foster, New Braunfels, TX

“Letter to Teenagers in the 2051 Pandemic” by Emory Newland, Opelika, AL

 

 

Category 1 (Ages 7–10): From Gutenberg’s printing press to today’s smartphone, many significant inventions have changed the way we live. But there is still so much room for ingenuity! If you were to invent something new, what would it be, what would it do, and why would you invent it? Explain in a descriptive essay.

 

Finalists:

“The LTC: The Unlimited Planet Helping Device” by Coleman Jennings, Carrollton, GA

“Dog-Bot” by Elanor Mann, Lisbon, NY

“My Invention: The Tack Assistant” by Eva Andreski, Hartville, OH

“A Pringle Eaters Invention” by Doris-May Horne, Gunpowder, MD

“My Invention” by Flynn Carroll, Chesterton, IN

“The Cleaning Robot” by Ayun Roh, Mohegan Lake, NY

“Not Your Average Blender” by Audrey Kruger, Brentwood, CA

“Travel To Change the World” by Rowan Callicutt, El Paso, TX

“Big Banana Adventure” by Trinity Mize, Newport, TN

“The Arcade Closet” by Linus Kim, Running Springs, CA

 

Category 2 (Ages 11–14): Suppose you are stranded alone on a desert island where there is no electricity, no cell tower signal, or any other sign of civilization. You have a stockpile of food and help is on its way—in a couple months—but in the meantime you must survive. Explain in a persuasive essay what three inventions would you want to find washed up onto the shore with you and why.

 

Finalists:

“Island Inventions” by Micaiah Olfert, Glasgow, MT

“The Island of Persuasion” by William Dodson, Fair Grove, MO

“Stranded” by Asher Lehmkuhler, Evansville, IN

“A Polar Plan” by Madeline Male, Fairway, KS

“Survival” by Ava Glendenning, Churdan, IA

“The Three Essentials of Life” by Adora Hostetler, Del Rio, TX

“A Guide To Surviving a Whale Crash” by Lila Sloan, Wailuku, HI

“HSLDA Essay Contest” by Amedeo Wassell, Dover Plains, NY

“Survival Made Simple” by Ariana Goforth, Fayetteville, AR

 

Category 3 (Ages 15–19): Imagine that you wake up just inside the entrance to an unfamiliar cave with no memory of how you arrived there. You sit up, look around, and notice a blow-dryer and garden spade. You feel inside your pocket and find a small spool of wire. As you finger the unfamiliar items, everything comes flooding back to you! In a narrative essay, explain how the three items (blow-dryer, spade, and wire) refresh your memory of what happened.

 

Finalists:

 “Loved, Lost and Never Forgotten” by Anna Kelley, Cedar Park, TX

“Orbital Crisis” by Clayton Carter, Plano, TX

“Benny’s Bear Adventure” by Emma Clemente, Chambersburg, PA
“Harvey’s Cave” by Ian Deckman, Eastvale, CA

“Was it Dr. Corbin with a Spade in the Cave?” by Catherine Ryan, Sayville, NY

“A Village to Save” by Eva Grove, Crown Point, IN
“Still a Couple of Bugs” by Aaron Piancone, Stroudsburg, PA

“The Queen, the Prince, and the Pirate” by Gemma Glasow, Charlotte, NC
“All For a Frog” by Rachel Strawn, Spokane, WA

“The Dare” by Morgan Mitchell, Georgetown, TX
“Found” by Anna Petracci, Ramona, CA