Past Winners

2022

Junior Division

First Place: Anushruti Ram, Renfroe Middle School, Decatur, GA – "Charlotte Forten Grimke: An Author and Activist"
Second Place: Vishaka Priyan, Oregon Episcopal School, Portland, OR – "The Fight for Justice and Equality"
Finalist: Evie Chan, Oregon Episcopal School, Portland, OR – "Yellowface Must Take Its Final Bow"
Finalist: Antonia India Campanelli, Ashland Middle School, Ashland, OR – "The Reclamation of Identity, Zitkala-Sa"
Finalist: Gatee Urja Shukla, Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering, Hillsboro, OR – "The Bright Star in the Alabama Sky - Rosa Parks"

Senior Division

First Place: Veda Yama, Aragon High School, San Mateo, CA – "Fighting for the Constitution"
Second Place: Nina Takahashi, Southridge High School, Beaverton, OR – "Art as Action"
Finalist: Jenell Theobald, International School of Beaverton, Beaverton, OR – "So That They Won't Be Forgotten"
Finalist: Lakely Doht-Barron, Central Catholic, Portland, OR – "Taylor Stewart and his Leadership in Society"
Finalist: Cynthia Huang, Orange County School of the Arts, Santa Ana, CA – "The Woman Who Diversified Congress"

Junior Division

First Place: Aarthi Palaniappan, 7th Grade, Albertson, NY – “Minoru Yasui - Refugee and Immigrant Experiences”
Second Place: Maya Franey, 8th Grade, San Jose, CA – “Immigration: A Young Girl's Story”
Finalist: River McCoy, 7th Grade, Topeka, KS – “Sandra Uwiringiyimana”
Finalist: Sohana Schneider, 7th Grade, Chicago, IL – “An Immigrant's Dream”
Finalist: Logan Pinard, 7th Grade, Kapolei, HI – “Refugee and Immigrant Experiences -- Hamdi Ulukaya”

Senior Division

First Place: Fiona Larsen-Tesky, 11th Grade, Hood River, OR – “A Fight For Migrant Worker Rights”
Second Place: Aishiki Nag, 10th Grade, Tigard, OR – “CCU to PDX; My Family’s Journey”
Finalist: Alejandro McClain, 11th Grade, Eugene, OR – “My Grandmother Yoko McClain”
Finalist: Emi Hiroshima, 10th Grade, Los Gatos, CA – “Teachings of Resilience”
Finalist: Jenny Duan, 11th Grade, Portland, OR – “David Ho: AIDS Researcher”