Six students connected the past with their present. They found lessons in those that exemplified moral courage and the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region is proud to recognize all six student winners, their families and teachers, at the 37th Annual Governor’s Holocaust Remembrance Program on April 24, 2018. These skilled student writers rose to the top of almost 250 essays submitted to ADL’s 2018 Student Essay Contest A Tribute to Moral Courage: Standing Up Against Injustice and hail from across Colorado.
Each student used the Holocaust as context to better understand moral courage and then chose an individual who demonstrated moral courage from history and detailed how that person’s actions has influenced them today. The winning essays are below and include stories of the past, such as about abolitionists and women’s rights activists Sarah Grimké and Angelina Grimké Weld, and also of current exemplars of moral courage such as transgender activist and actor Laverne Cox and Japanese environmentalist Yasuteru Yamada.
Students will receive their awards from Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, ADL Regional Director Scott L. Levin and ADL Regional Board Member Linda Schatz. ADL is grateful that for a third year, this student essay contest was generously underwritten by an anonymous donor.
Division I – 7-9th Grade
First Place: Chloe A., 8th Grade, Girls Athletic Leadership School, Denver, CO
Essay Title: Waves of Resistance
Second Place: Nicolette A., 8th Grade, Girls Athletic Leadership School, Denver, CO
Essay Title: TRANSform Society
Third Place: Stewart N., 7th Grade, Holy Family Catholic School, Grand Junction, CO
Essay Title: Changing the World
Division II – 10-12th Grade
First Place: Emily S., 11th Grade, Peak to Peak Charter School, Lafayette, CO
Essay Title: We Who Will Not Be Silenced
Second Place: Kelly S., 11th Grade, Peak to Peak Charter School, Lafayette, CO
Essay Title: Beyond the Innate Flaws: An Unsung Hero
Third Place: Chloe S., 11th Grade, Peak to Peak Charter School, Lafayette, CO
Essay Title: Fortitude in the Face of Adversity