2004 Essay & Video Contest Winners
For its 2004 essay contest, Princeton University asked students in grades 7-12 to help commemorate the 40th anniversary of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech by submitting an original speech on any topic that would move America today, just as King’s speech did in his time. For the first time, students also were allowed to submit speeches in a new video contest. Written essays were submitted by about 500 students from 16 schools.
Essay contest winners
Grades 7-8
First Prize:
Ariana Vera, grade 8, Stuart Country
Day School, Princeton
Second Prize:
Christopher Littauer, grade 8, Chapin
School, Princeton
Third Prize:
Prerna Sinha, grade 8, Montgomery
Middle School, Skillman
Honorable Mention:
Kyle Babinowich, grade 8, Chapin School, Princeton
Caroline Lindseth, grade 8, Stuart Country Day School,
Princeton
Annie MacDonald, grade 8, Stuart Country Day School, Princeton
Cristen Mangrum, grade 8, John Witherspoon School, Princeton
Melanie Mostrowski, grade 8, Reynolds Middle School, Trenton
Amala Narayan, grade 7, Crossroads South Middle School,
Monmouth Junction
Shivani Ray, grade 8, Melvin H. Kreps Middle School, Hightstown
Grades 9-10
First Prize:
Teresa Bayer, grade 10, Villa Victoria Academy, Trenton
Laura Brienza, grade 10, Stuart Country Day School, Princeton
Second Prize:
Stephanie Swites, grade 10, Villa
Victoria Academy, Trenton
Third Prize:
Anthony D’Amato, grade 10, Blair
Academy, Blairstown
Honorable Mention:
Sehr Akbar, grade 10, Stuart Country Day School, Princeton
Elizabeth Cancelosi, grade 9, Stuart Country Day School,
Princeton
Semion Gordonov, grade 10, Hightstown High School, Hightstown
Margaret Helmke, grade 10, Villa Victoria Academy, Trenton
Rajiv Lalla, grade 10, Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville
Gina Lupica, grade 10, Villa Victoria Academy, Trenton
Grades 11-12
First Prize:
Danielle Petrics, grade 11, Hightstown
High School, Hightstown
Second Prize:
Jessica Boston, grade 12, West Windsor-Plainsboro
North High School, Plainsboro
Third Prize:
Manisha Bhattacharya, grade 11, West
Windsor-Plainsboro South High School, Princeton Junction
Honorable Mention:
Emily Franco, grade 11, Hightstown High School, Hightstown
Leslie Hart, grade 12, Stuart Country Day School, Princeton
Jeannette Manning, grade 11, Stuart Country Day School, Princeton
Sofia Medina, grade 12, Stuart Country Day School, Princeton
Video contest winners
Grades 7-12
Honorable Mention:
Megan Dalaya, grade 8, Community Middle School,
Plainsboro
Peter Maa, grade 8, Community Middle School, Plainsboro