Martin Luther King Day
2004 essay and 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.

The essay contest winners are:
Note: The event program containing excerpts from winning and notable contest entries can be downloaded in Acrobat (.pdf) format.

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

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