This is the motive and purpose of my writing: *the projection of an ideal man*. The portrayal of a moral ideal, as my ultimate literary goal, as an end in itself--to which any didactic, intellectual or philosophical values contained in a novel are only the means.

1998 Anthem Essay Contest

Anthem Essay Winners

Winners:

Anthem Cover

First Place

  • Robbie Hames, Hanford HS West Campus, Hanford, CA

Second Place

  • Catherine Hsiao, Mills HS, Millbrae, CA
  • Stephanie Hanna, Mission Viejo HS, Mission Viejo, CA
  • Cynthia R. Harris, U.C. High, San Diego, CA
  • Jeffrey M. Clapp, Southeast HS, Bradenton, FL
  • Kathryn E. Malizia, Woodward Academy, College Park, GA
  • Sam Noble, North Hall HS, Gainesville, GA
  • Jeff Leek, Highland HS, Pocatello, ID
  • Sarah Anderson, Bothell HS, Bothell, WA
  • Irene Malatesta, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
  • Melissa Tee, The Woodlands School, Mississauga, ON, Canada

Third Place

  • John Wallach, Harvard-Westlake School, Los Angeles, CA
  • Matthew Janson, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Melanie Rabe, Wheat Ridge HS, Wheat Ridge, CO
  • David M. Darst, Brunswick School, Greenwich, CT
  • Stephanie Erin Brewer, Masuk HS, Monroe, CT
  • Desiree Yee-Barnes, Miami Sunset Sr. High, Miami, FL
  • Alexandra Chludzinski, Bishop Moore HS, Orlando, FL
  • Anthony Rella, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, Indianapolis, IN
  • Melissa Elizabeth Meng, McPherson HS, McPherson, KS
  • Dylan Davey, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Bethesda, MD
  • J. P. McAfee, St. Paul’s School, Brooklandville, MD
  • Anne Shapere, Mt. Tabor HS, Winston Salem, NC
  • Anjeni Keswani, Governor Livingston HS, Berkeley Heights, NJ
  • Allison Pieja, Governor Livingston HS, Berkeley Heights, NJ
  • Andrew S. Kay, Canandaigua Academy, Canandaigua, NY
  • Jennifer Norton, Shaker HS, Latham, NY
  • David Katz, Westmont Hilltop HS, Johnstown, PA
  • Edward Thomas Bertrando, Avon Grove HS, West Grove, PA
  • Bruce Brown, Union City HS, Union City, TN
  • Missy Bailey, James E. Taylor HS, Katy, TX

Finalist

  • Jesse Kern, Stapley Junior High, Mesa, AZ
  • Glenda Ong, Ayala HS, Chino Hills, CA
  • Steve Cota, Elizabeth Learning Center, Cudahy, CA
  • Meg Patton, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Hannah Rider, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Laura West, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Dean Tolla, Tift County HS, Tifton, GA
  • Megan K. Todoroff, Jackson HS, Jackson, MI
  • Derek Yuan, Enloe HS, Raleigh, NC
  • Gayle MacDonald, Contoocook Valley Regional HS, Peterborough, NH
  • Jeannette Valentini, Canajoharie HS, Canajoharie, NY
  • Erin Silverman, Emma Willard School, Troy, NY
  • Morgan Bernal, White Station HS, Memphis, TN
  • Jennifer C. Lorrang, Home Schooling, Houston, TX
  • Courtney Ayn Glass, The Kinkaid School, Houston, TX
  • Maren K. Spaldo, Stonewall Jackson HS, Manassas, VA
  • Maria Dunn, Central HS, Victoria, VA
  • Rebecca Jardine, Eastmont HS, East Wenatchee, WA
  • Keerthi Shiva Sai Arani, Kamiak HS, Mukilteo, WA

Semi-Finalist

  • Brad Krauss, Colony HS, Palmer, AK
  • Patrick Reasonover, A.P. Brewer HS, Somerville, AL
  • Dagny Lauren Looper, Bryant HS, Bryant, AR
  • Natalia Cirstea, Apollo HS, Glendale, AZ
  • Courtney Simala, Yuma HS, Yuma, AZ
  • Manisha Bahl, Pleasant Valley Senior High, Chico, CA
  • Ashley Granberry, Bear River HS, Grass Valley, CA
  • Tim Shoffner, Laguna Beach HS, Laguna Beach, CA
  • Dona Le, Livermore HS, Livermore, CA
  • Christine Lazo, Eagle Rock HS, Los Angeles, CA
  • Sofiya Goldshteyn, Milken Community HS, Los Angeles, CA
  • G. Justin Hulog, East Union HS, Manteca, CA
  • Emily Beck, Mission Viejo HS, Mission Viejo, CA
  • Elizabeth Olsen, Palisades Charter HS, Pacific Palisades, CA
  • Elysia Au, Notre Dame HS, San Jose, CA
  • Katie Bignell, Notre Dame HS, San Jose, CA
  • Andrea Florina Gallegos, Notre Dame HS, San Jose, CA
  • Judy Li, Notre Dame HS, San Jose, CA
  • Mary McClain, Notre Dame HS, San Jose, CA
  • Christine Nasol, Notre Dame HS, San Jose, CA
  • Natasha Lee, Notre Dame High, San Jose, CA
  • Kristy Trujillo, San Pedro HS, San Pedro, CA
  • Kate Baker, Westlake HS, Westlake Village, CA
  • Andrea Mall, Liberty HS, Colorado Springs, CO
  • Sharon Bates, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Naomi Habegger, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Gretta Simpson, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Matt Thomas, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • Rachel Wilkenson, Grand Junction HS, Grand Junction, CO
  • John D’Antonio, Heritage HS, Littleton, CO
  • Christopher Glennon, Central Magnet HS, Bridgeport, CT
  • Thu Nguyen, Central Magnet HS, Bridgeport, CT
  • Nar Taing, Central Magnet HS, Bridgeport, CT
  • Elizabeth Dimenno, Masuk HS, Monroe, CT
  • Michael Colanti, Rockville High, Vernon, CT
  • Kendra Eckert, Rockville HS, Vernon Rockville, CT
  • Stratos Pahis, Rockville HS, Vernon Rockville, CT
  • Lisa Downen, J.P. Taravella HS, Coral Springs, FL
  • Tamara Gober, J.P. Taravella HS, Coral Springs, FL
  • Lisa Choe, Dunedin HS, Dunedin, FL
  • Jamie Gerhardt, Dunedin HS, Dunedin, FL
  • Andrea Horne, Dunedin HS, Dunedin, FL
  • Melissa Bourgeois, Cypress Lake SHS, Fort Myers, FL
  • Meredith Robert, Hollywood Hills HS, Hollywood, FL
  • Rachel Weingrad, Miami Palmetto SHS, Miami, FL
  • Michael Zaragoza, Miami Beach SHS, Miami Beach, FL
  • John Hutchinson, Woodham HS, Pensacola, FL
  • Amanda Denise Johnson, Woodham HS, Pensacola, FL
  • Brent M. Smith, Durant SHS, Plant City, FL
  • Erin McLemore, Glynn Academy, Brunswick, GA
  • Elizabeth Costner, Dunwoody HS, Dunwoody, GA
  • Angela Nam, Dunwoody HS, Dunwoody, GA
  • Malina Joy Haider, Lassiter HS, Marietta, GA
  • Laura Gary, Walton HS, Marietta, GA
  • Sunni Haag, Walton HS, Marietta, GA
  • Bian Li, Northview Middle School, Ankeny, IA
  • Haley Swedlund, Northview Middle School, Ankeny, IA
  • Katie Welsh, Wapsie Valley HS, Fairbank, IA
  • Greg England, Highland HS, Pocatello, ID
  • Jamie Nelson, Highland HS, Pocatello, ID
  • Trina Oborn, Highland HS, Pocatello, ID
  • Kurt G. Elster, Maine Township South HS, Park Ridge, IL
  • Katie Lemke, Crown Point HS, Crown Point, IN
  • Chase Richards, McPherson HS, McPherson, KS
  • Anna Holt, Shawnee Mission West HS, Shawnee Mission, KS
  • Jenny Weddle, Jeffersontown HS, Jeffersontown, KY
  • Rakhi Lahiri, Milford HS, Milford, MA
  • Jay Pendse, Norwood SHS, Norwood, MA
  • Eric S. Cartier, West Bridgewater HS, West Bridgewater, MA
  • Courtney Richard, Williamstown, MA
  • Diana Fridberg, Havre De Grace HS, Havre De Grace, MD
  • Lindsay Clark, Marshwood HS, Eliot, ME
  • Gillian Malloy, Marshwood HS, Eliot, ME
  • Rebekah Friedman, Wells HS, Wells, ME
  • Dan Grimm, Brother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills, MI
  • Ben Edmunds, Cranbrook Schools, Bloomfield Hills, MI
  • Joel Martin, Hopkins North JHS, Minnetonka, MN
  • Erica Campbell, Pattonville HS, Maryland Heights, MO
  • Jennilee Hahn, C.M. Russell HS, Great Falls, MT
  • Jeff Levine, Charles M. Russell HS, Great Falls, MT
  • William Mosley, North Surry HS, Mount Airy, NC
  • Sam Stephens, Mount Tabor HS, Winston Salem, NC
  • Matthew Drake, Brownell-Talbot, Omaha, NE
  • Sarah Welch, Brownell-Talbot, Omaha, NE
  • Lindsay Hathaway, Brownell-Talbot School, Omaha, IA
  • Travis Penn, Brownell-Talbot School, Omaha, NE
  • Erin Weaver, Farmington HS, Farmington, NH
  • Tim Wilson, Hanover Park HS, East Hanover, NJ
  • Emma Hiatt, Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS, Scotch Plains, NJ
  • Jennifer Zehr, Beaver River Central School, Beaver Falls, NY
  • Jonathan Lehrer, Half Hollow Hills HS East, Dix Hills, NY
  • Mary Aufrecht, East Hampton HS, East Hampton, NY
  • Seth Goldberg, East Meadow HS, East Meadow, NY
  • Adam Luckwaldt, Farmingdale SHS, Farmingdale, NY
  • Larissa Korhun, Shaker HS, Latham, NY
  • Sara Armstrong, HS for Environmental Studies, New York, NY
  • Melissa Wu, Pittsford Mendon HS, Pittsford, NY
  • Petie L. Russo, Red Hook HS, Red Hook, NY
  • Renee Keller, Brighton HS, Rochester, NY
  • Kristoffer Piper, Odyssey HS, Rochester, NY
  • Andrew Mattheyses, Schenectady HS, Schenectady, NY
  • Jennifer Melkun, Seaford HS, Seaford, NY
  • Jeff Kidd, Boardman HS, Boardman, OH
  • Chelsea Leven, West Geauga HS, Chesterland, OH
  • Gareth Basset, Putnam City North, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Wilhelmina D. Copley, Western Heights HS, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Owen Wickenkamp, Pauls Valley HS, Pauls Valley, OK
  • Tiffany Staudenmier, Rex Putnam HS, Milwaukie, OR
  • Sarah Grove, Bellefonte Area HS, Bellefonte, PA
  • Zhou Dong, Greensburg Salem HS, Greensburg, PA
  • Shuyi Zhang, Upper Merion Area HS, King of Prussia, PA
  • Chaim Bloom, Akiba Hebrew Academy, Merion Station, PA
  • Pius Uzamere II, New Castle SHS, New Castle, PA
  • Chris McClure, Red Lion Area SHS, Red Lion, PA
  • Linnea Duvall, Girls Preparatory School, Chattanooga, TN
  • Rushina Cholera, White Station HS, Memphis, TN
  • James Doyle, White Station HS, Memphis, TN
  • Helen McLendon, White Station HS, Memphis, TN
  • Chris Wright, Tascosa HS, Amarillo, TX
  • Amanda Brown, Lamar HS, Arlington, TX
  • Judy Babis, Harwood JHS, Bedford, TX
  • Jeffrey Wang, Crowley HS, Crowley, TX
  • Nathan Crow, Booker T. Washington HS, Dallas, TX
  • Amanda White, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX
  • Themis H. Lorrang, Home Schooling, Houston, TX
  • Michael Gucwa, The Kinkaid School, Houston, TX
  • Cristina Montez, Rio Hondo HS, Rio Hondo, TX
  • Dan Broderick, B.F. Terry HS, Rosenberg, TX
  • Stacy Stubblefield, Terry HS, Rosenberg, TX
  • Eric Larson, Santa Fe HS, Santa Fe, TX
  • Paul Gonzalez, Klein Oak HS, Spring, TX
  • Andrew Smialek, John Tyler HS, Tyler, TX
  • Jennifer Bennett, St. Stephens and St. Agnes School, Alexandria, VA
  • Don Watkins III, West Springfield HS, Springfield, VA
  • Gaia Fried, U-32 Jr./Sr. HS, Montpelier, VT
  • Ellen Go, Newport HS, Bellevue, WA
  • Michael Brotherton, Moses Lake HS, Moses Lake, WA
  • Anah Cain, Moses Lake HS, Moses Lake, WA
  • Josiah Lybbert, Moses Lake HS, Moses Lake, WA
  • Emily Stuber, Moses Lake HS, Moses Lake, WA
  • Evelyn Gottlieb, University SHS, Spokane, WA
  • Rebecca Meyer, Lincoln HS, Manitowoc, WI
  • Byram Karanjia, Marshfield HS, Marshfield, WI
  • Mike Zillmer, Pulaski HS, Pulaski, WI
  • Jennifer Whitson, Sturgeon Composite HS, Namao, AB, Canada