NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Announces 2013 Youth Essay Contest Winners
OutdoorHub 03.10.14
The NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund has announced the winners of its annual Youth Essay Contest celebrating the Second Amendment as an integral part of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Established in 1978, the tax exempt charity provides legal and financial assistance to individuals and organizations defending their right to keep and bear arms.
Nearly 450 students submitted essays to the 2013 Youth Essay Contest, whose featured prompt was “The Second Amendment to the Constitution: Why it is Important to our Nation.” Entries were separated into two categories: Senior (grades 10-12) and Junior (grades 9 and below), and were judged on originality, scholarship, and presentation.
“Once again, the Fund received a large number of entries, making the selection of winners a difficult task,” said Skipp Galythly, contest judge and NRA Assistant General Counsel. “But I always enjoy reading the essays and seeing how members of this generation look into the issue of the Second Amendment and form their own opinions.”
Seventeen year old Samantha Keng of Smyrna, Georgia, took top honors in the Senior category for her essay “The Second Amendment: Why it is important to our nation.” In the Junior category, 14 year-old Anna Haverly of Mancos, Colorado, won first place with her essay “The Second Amendment: A Right or a Wrong.”
All students enrolled in an elementary, junior high, or high school during the 2013-2014 academic year, who had not previously placed in the contest in their respective category, were eligible to enter. Winners were awarded cash prizes of $1,000 for first place, $600 for second, $200 for third, and $100 for receiving honorable mention.
“It is never easy to narrow down the large number of well-written essays to just four winners in each category,” said Galythly. “Doing so for the Junior category this year proved especially tough and the Fund approved an additional Honorable Mention award, making this task just a bit easier.”
The Civil Rights Defense Fund’s 2014 Youth Essay Contest’s prompt is “What Does the Second Amendment Mean to You?” Additionally, the Senior category will now represent grades 9 through 12 and the Junior category will be for grades 8 and below. Entries must be postmarked by December 1, 2014 to:
NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund
Attn: Office of the General Counsel
11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, Virginia
22030-9400
For more information, a downloadable entry form, and a complete rules listing, visit http://www.nradefensefund.org/contests-scholarships.aspx.
NRA Second Amendment Essay Contest Winners
Senior Category
- First Place: Samantha Keng, age 17, Smyrna, GA
- Second Place: Nicole Servais, age 17, Green Bay, WI
- Third Place: Annette Droddy, age 15, Hemphill, TX
- Honorable Mention: Jacob Dalen, age 16, Westminster, SC
Junior Category
- First Place: Anna Haverly, age 14, Mancos, CO
- Second Place: Reagan Bush, age 11, Roaring Spring, PA
- Third Place: Antonio Ferris, age 14, Mesa, AZ
- Honorable Mention: David Alarcon, age 15, Houston, TX
- Honorable Mention: Jake Hodges, age 14, Coral Gables, FL
