WE THE STUDENTS ESSAY CHALLENGE WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Date: 22-Dec-12
Author: Staff Reporter

 Richmond, Va. (Dec. 22, 2012) – Ms. Savannah Lane, representing Midlothian High School in Chesterfield County, Va., was awarded first place in the National Constitution Plaque Initiative’s We the Students Essay Challenge  presented by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and James Madison’s Montpelier.  More than 140 essays about the importance of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights were received from Richmond-area middle and high school students. Ms. Lane’s school will receive a full set of bronze plaques of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as part of the prizes awarded for the winning essay. The awards ceremony took place during half time of the boys’ championship game of the Times-Dispatch Invitational Tournament at the Verizon Wireless Arena at the VCU Stuart C. Siegel Center.

Scholars at Montpelier’s Center for the Constitution judged all essays and awarded first runner-up status to Ms. Michelle Thiongo, representing L.C. Bird High School in Chesterfield County, Va., and second runner-up status to Jaclyn Bossé an eighth grade student at Liberty Middle School in Hanover County, Va. Ms. Bossé’s civics instructor, Joe Gorman, wrote in a letter to the administration and students at the school, “At age 13, she was the only middle school student to place in the competition. What a civics minded student!”  Runner-up schools receive pocket books “The U.S. Constitution and Fascinating Facts” to be used in fund raising for a set of Constitution Plaques.

American Constitution Spirit Foundation President Lawrence A. Creeger, Ms. Terri Edwards, director of marketing and communications for The Times-Dispatch, and Matthew Creeger, school coordinator for the Plaque Initiative, recognized the winners at the award ceremony.  Ms. Lane commented on receiving her certificate of achievement, “I’m so thrilled at receiving this award, because I’m passionate about our country and the Constitution. I wrote it from my heart.” Her entire family was on hand for the ceremony.

Read the winning essays at http://bit.ly/UotSUl.

About the American Constitution Spirit Foundation: Founded in 2002 to revitalize President Ronald Reagan’s vision of placing original replicas of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights in America’s schools, the foundation introduced the National Constitution Plaque Initiative. The Initiative assists schools across America through fundraising and events to raise the funds necessary for a school’s acquisition. The We the Students Essay Challenge is a partnership with James Madison’s Montpelier and the Richmond Times-Dispatch.    

For more information:
Richard Peyton, ACSF/NCPI      804-273-6731, 800-476-8368, richard.peyton@plaqueinitiative.org

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