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.

2003 Anthem Essay Contest

Anthem Essay Winners

Winners:

Anthem Cover

First Place

  • Charlotte Seid, Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology, Clifton, VA, USA
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Second Place

  • Danielle Berke, Lassiter High School, Roswell, GA, USA
  • Allison Bream, Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Martinsville, NJ
  • Kayla Chang, E.I.E Academy—homeschooled, Whittier, USA
  • Caitlin Demchuk, Dulaney High School, Cockeysville, MD, USA
  • Jenna Donaldson, P.A.C.E, Nobleton, Ontario, Canada
  • Maclovio Fernandez, El Paso High School, El Paso, TX, USA
  • Bjorn Irion, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, CO
  • Ryan Krause, Buffalo Grove High School, Arlington Heights, IL
  • Brittany Muscarella, Academy of the Sacred Heart, Cheektowaga, NY
  • Jimmy Sung, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Kendalyn Surface, Beech Senior HS, Hendersonville, TN

Third Place

  • Kristina Conroy, Pioneer High School, Arcade, NY, USA
  • Johnny Dawkins, Terry Sanford School, Fayetteville, NC
  • Claire Doran, Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, CA, USA
  • Garrett Ervin, Clairemont High, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Abhijith Eswarappa, White Station High School, Memphis, TN
  • Bradley Fritz, Independence High School, Independence, OH
  • Joyanna Gilmour, Home schooled, Bloomfield, NJ, USA
  • Ali Mokhtarzadeh, George Washington HS, Charleston, WV
  • Elaine Murphy, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Leah Nolan, Muskegon Catholic Central, Twin Lake, MI, USA
  • Erica Smith, South Haven High School, South Haven, MI, USA
  • Ross Smith, Dobyns-Bennett, Kingsport, TN, USA
  • Gennady Stolyarov, Glenbrook South HS, Northbrook, IL
  • Cindi Textor, Corry Area High School, Corry, PA, USA
  • Katie Van Haasteren, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Scotch Plains, NJ
  • Brian Veith, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Lisa Wang, Lynbrook High School, San Jose, CA, USA
  • Morgan Willming, South Haven High School, South Haven, MI
  • Jojo Yang, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Katy Yang, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX, USA

FINALIST

  • Laura Aguirre, Archbishop Curley Notre Dame, Miami Shores, FL
  • Ishraq Ali, Granite Hills High School, El Cajon, CA, USA
  • Jeffrey Baer, Academy for Gifted Children, Thornhill, Ontario, CA
  • Jessica Beck, Parkway West High School, Chesterfield, MO, USA
  • Nanci Belmont, F.W. Springstead High School, Spring Hill, FL
  • Talisa Chang, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Kristin Clark, Corry Area High School, Corry, PA, USA
  • Jaimie Collins, Kinnelon High School, Kinnelon, NJ, USA
  • Samuel Cramer, Dulaney High School, Cockeysville, MD, USA
  • Tarek Dale, Black Forest Academy, Maugenhard, Germany
  • Jack De Sena, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Stephanie Fitton, South Haven HS, South Haven, MI, USA
  • Jennifer Foster, Portland High School, Portland, TN, USA
  • Hillary Garber, Mariemont High School, Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • Rebecca Geleyn, Ecole Rose-des-Vents, Wilmot, Canada
  • Elisabeth Gilbert, Seminole High School, Lake Mary, FL, USA
  • Jessica Glajch, Union Endicott High School, Endicott, NY, USA
  • Kate Green, Palm Harbor University High School, Clearwater, FL
  • Kaitlin Hindman, Kittanning Senior High School, Kittanning, PA
  • Elizabeth Hong, Sweet Home High School, Amherst, NY, USA
  • Xiao Qian Huang, Brooklyn Technical High School, Brooklyn, NY
  • Jane Hwang, Irvine High School, , CA, USA
  • Angelica Ibelzim, White Station High School, Memphis, TN, USA
  • Zach Jordan, Muscle Shoals High School, Muscle Shoals, AL
  • Holly Metter, Cary Academy, Pittsboro, NC, USA
  • Gabriella Miyares, Stanton College Preparatory, Jacksonville, FL
  • Tiffanie Nham, Los Alamitos High School, Cypress, CA, USA
  • Kitty O’Riordan, Chagrin Falls High School, Chagrin Falls, OH
  • Erika Peterson, South Haven High School, South Haven, MI
  • Kristen Scheckelhoff, William G. Enloe High School, Cary, NC
  • Kim Stoner, Trinity High School, Camp Hill, PA, USA
  • L. Douglas Treilhard, Huntsville HS, Dwight, Ontario, Canada
  • Michael Trybula, Crown Point High School, Crown Point, IN
  • Anarghya Vardhana, Jesuit High School, Beaverton, OR, USA
  • Katrina Wagner, Freedom Area High School, Freedom, PA, USA
  • Amy Wang, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA, USA
  • Franz Wiez, Parkland Composite HS, Carrot Creek, Canada
  • Richard Wilde, Broadneck Senior High School, Arnold, MD, USA
  • Tiffany Woo, Dublin Coffman High School, Dublin, OH, USA
  • Jennifer Yeh, North Hollywood High School, Northridge, CA
  • Gary Zhang, Dublin Coffman High School, Dublin, OH, USA

SEMI-FINALIST

  • Mohammed Abbasi, Brooklyn Technical HS, Brooklyn, USA
  • Zack Alfred, Sahuaro High School, Tucson, USA
  • Jennifer Ambrose, C.M. Russell High Schol, Great Falls, USA
  • Mary Andes, Cedar Cliff High School, New Cumberland, USA
  • Nicholas Araujo, Dr. Michael M. Krop HS, North Miami Beach
  • Sean Asp, St. Edward High School, Middleburg Heights, USA
  • Natasha Azad, Clear Lake High School, Houston, USA
  • Emily Bacha, Cuyahoga Heights High School, Valley View, USA
  • Do Hoon Bae , Beijing, China
  • Aaron Baer, P.A.C.E , Thornhill, Canada
  • Jessica Bardsley, Golf Coast High School, Naples, USA
  • Christa Baxter, A.M. Barbe High School, Lake Charles, USA
  • Michelle Beckman, Clear Lake High School, Houston, USA
  • Jovan Begovic, Lakeside High School, Atlanta, USA
  • Annie Berrier, Trinity High School, Carlisle, USA
  • Jessica Bogach, Beech Senior High School, Hendersonville, USA
  • Ruby Bolster, Durango High School, Durango, USA
  • Aubrey Bonhivert, Crown Point High School, Crown Point, USA
  • Bryan Bosworth, Northeast High School, Baltimore, USA
  • Trevor Bowden, Frankenmuth High School, Frankenmuth, USA
  • Emma Bradley, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction
  • Adam Breuer, Lake Ridge Academy, Oberlin, USA
  • Chelsea Bridges, Littleton High School, Denver, USA
  • Megan Browning, Havre de Grace High School, Darlington, USA
  • Alyssa Charney, Marblehead High School, Marblehead, USA
  • Kylee Chauvin, West Junior High School, Lawrence, USA
  • Hao Chen, Irvine High School, Irvine, USA
  • Xiaoxi Chen, Chattahoochee High School, Alpharetta, USA
  • Stephanie Chen, Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook, USA
  • Anton Chumak, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction
  • Alex Civetta, Scarsdale High School, Scarsdale, USA
  • Anne Clark-Raymond, Morgan Park Academy, Oak Lawn, USA
  • Megan Coe, Boulder City High School, Boulder City, USA
  • Dan Collins, Haverford High School, Havertown, USA
  • Rachel Cope, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport, USA
  • Diana Copeland, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School, Miami
  • Seth Crocker, Riviera Kaufer High, Riviera, USA
  • Danielle Davis, Beech Senior High School, Goodlettsville, USA
  • Sarah Daw, Sahuaro High School, Tucson, USA
  • Domenic Denicola, Los Gatos High School, Los Gatos, USA
  • Katherine Devanney, Falcon High School, Falcon, USA
  • Tien Do, Lanier High School, Austin, USA
  • Emily Dykes, Montville High School, Oakdale, USA
  • John Evans, Clear Lake High School, Seabrook, USA
  • Andy Ewert, Clear Lake High School, Seabrook, USA
  • Daniel Feldman, Clear Lake High School, Houston, USA
  • Kate Fifield, Union-Endicott High School, Endicott, USA
  • Daniel Foster, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, USA
  • Nina Foucher, Whitney Young Magnet High School, Chicago
  • Michael Friedman, P.A.C.E, Richmond Hill, Canada
  • Sarah Fullerton, Chandler High School, Chandler, USA
  • William Gannon, Dulaney High School, Cockeysville, USA
  • Patrick Gibbs, Clear Lake High School, Seabrook, USA
  • Katie Gonzalez, The Altamont School, , USA
  • Devin Goure, Brookwood High School, Snellville, USA
  • Barbara Greenberg, Western High School, Davie, USA
  • Nikhil Gupta, Manhasset High School, Manhasset, USA
  • Andrew Hajjar, James Bowie High School, Austin, USA
  • Rebecca Hammock, OWCC Collegiate High School, Laurel Hill
  • Amorette Hanna, Stanton College Preparatory, Jacksonville, USA
  • Susan Harris, Colfax High School, Meadow Vista, USA
  • David Harvison, Clear Lake High School, Houston, USA
  • Brandy Hatcher, Rose Hill High School, Rose Hill, USA
  • Jonathan Hayden, Rockville High School, Union, USA
  • Alex Heigl, Cedar Cliff High School, , USA
  • Lindsey Hershner, James River High School, Richmond, USA
  • Kendra Hilse, Blaine High School, Ham Lake, USA
  • Lauren Hirsch, Tehachapi High School, Tehachapi, USA
  • Sherri Huang, Mission San Jose, Fremont, USA
  • Kenneth Huffman, Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove, USA
  • Johnny Jessup, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction
  • Kevin Jiang, Mesquite High School, Gilbert, USA
  • David Jiang, Hunter College High School, Forest Hills, USA
  • Lora Johns, Lake Highland Preparatory, Winter Park, USA
  • Anastasia Johnson, Union High School, Union, USA
  • Becca Johnson, White Station High School, Memphis, USA
  • Alex Kachenko, Independence High School, Independence, USA
  • Amanda Kalbaugh, Serra Catholic High School, Munhall, USA
  • Lauren Keiser, Benton Central High School, Otterbein, USA
  • Michael Kellogg, Rockville High School, Vernon, USA
  • Grace Kim, Randolph High School, Randolph, USA
  • Shannon Knee, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior HS, Miami, FL
  • Mary Krajnak, Homeschool, Waukesha, USA
  • Polina Krass, P.A.C.E., Richmond Hill, Canada
  • Shepherd Ku, Irvine High School, Irvine, USA
  • Mary Kelsey Lane, Stevens High School, Rapid City, USA
  • Elisabeth Leake, Durango High School, Durango, USA
  • Kalistyn Lemke, Salinas High School, Salinas, USA
  • Cynthia Liao, Whitney High School, Cerritos, USA
  • Lauren Lilley, Goddard HIgh School, Roswell, USA
  • Erik Lin-Greenberg, Millburn High School, Millburn, USA
  • Joshua Litwa, West Babylon Senior High School, West Babylon
  • Jason Louie, Kaimuki High School, Honolulu, USA
  • Bryant Luong, Irvine High School, Irvine, USA
  • Amanda Malecki, Birmingham High School, Sherman Oaks, USA
  • Alex Malikin, Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn, USA
  • Jennifer Malin, Clear Lake High School, Houston, USA
  • Jonathan Malmaud, Spanish River, Boca Raton, USA
  • Carolyn Marcelo, Cabell Midland High School, Huntington, USA
  • Kirsta Marlatt, Yuma High School, Yuma, USA
  • Christina Matthew, Havr de Grace High School, Havre de Grace
  • Lauren McKinney, Satellite High School, Indian Harbour Beach
  • John McNair, Chesapeake High School, Pasadena, USA
  • Katherine Meadows, Armijo High School, Fairfield, USA
  • Brittany Miller, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport, USA
  • Sally Morrell, White Station High School, Memphis, USA
  • Cody Myers, Southridge High School, Beaverton, USA
  • Ashton Myrick, Beech Senior High School, Hendersonville, USA
  • Ray Naseath, Granite Hills High School, El Cajon, USA
  • Ivy Nguyen, Irvine High School, Irvine, USA
  • Sarah Noffsinger, Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction
  • Janet Noh, Annie Wright School, Federal Way, USA
  • Caitlin O’Brien, Independence High School, Independence, USA
  • Minjung Oh, Bowdoin Center Academy, Bowdoin, USA
  • Jordyn Ostroff, Michael Krop High School, North Miami Beach
  • Bhumika Pant, Martiniere Girls’ College, Lucknow, INDIA
  • Rebecca Pearl, Randolph High School, Randolph, USA
  • Carl Peterson, Jeffersontown High School, Louisville, USA
  • Nisha Phatak, Pittsford Mendon High School, Pittsford, USA
  • Alix Phillips, Flint Southwestern Academy, Flint, USA
  • Jessica Picklesimer, Paintsville High School, Paintsville, USA
  • Sarah Plant, Loveland High School, Loveland, USA
  • Michelle Prairie, Rockville High School, Vernon, USA
  • Sasha Prevost, W F West High School, Centralia, USA
  • Alejandra Pulido, Michael Krop Senior High School, Aventura
  • Jessica Qu, Boston Latin School, Roslindale, USA
  • Todd Rasey, Corry Area High School, Spartansburg, USA
  • Kristen Ray, El Modena High School, Orange, USA
  • Julie Recher, James River High School, Midlothian, USA
  • Lakshmi Reddy, Irvine High School, Irvine, USA
  • Erica Rice, Larkin High School, Elgin, USA
  • James Robertson, Lamar Consolidated High School, Sugar Land
  • Natalie Rusciani, Hammonton High School, Atco, USA
  • Deana Rutherford, Whitney Young High School, Chicago, IL
  • Robert Sale, Brookwood High School, Lawrenceville, USA
  • Sasan Salimian, Northeast High School, Pasadena, USA
  • Rachel Samson, Harvard Public Schools, Harvard, USA
  • Rachel Sanders, Pittsford Mendon High School, Pittsford, USA
  • Megan Savage, South Haven High School, South Haven, USA
  • Danielle Schmidgall, Bucks County Technical HS, Levittown
  • Martha Schmitz, Dulaney High School, Phoenix, USA
  • Allison Schuller, Hilliard Davidson High School, Columbus, USA
  • Michael Simila, Home Schooled, Juneau, USA
  • Catherine Simone, Union-Endicott High School, Endicott, USA
  • Christina Singletary, Hammonton High School, Waterford, USA
  • Katie Smith, Stanton College Preparatory, Jacksonville, USA
  • Philip Southard, AuSasble Valley High School, Jay, USA
  • Matt Starr, Webster Groves High School, St. Louis, USA
  • Gadielle Stein-Bodenheimer, Granada Hills HS, Granada Hills
  • Curtis Stephens, Brookwood High School, Lilburn, USA
  • Keri Ann Stevenson, Hanover Area High School, Hanover Twp.
  • Kelly Stewart, Indian Springs School, Birmingham, USA
  • Ben Strauber, North Canyon High School, Scottsdale, USA
  • John Strickland, Beech Senior High School, Goodlettsville, USA
  • Nive Subramaniam, Bridgewater-Raritan HS, Bridgewater
  • Sharon Suh, Irvine High School, Irvine, USA
  • Leanne Szabo, Hammonton High School, Hammonton, USA
  • Logan Ury, Spanish River High School, Boca Raton, USA
  • Katina Vallens, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Vanessa Vanorman, Pellston High School, Pellson, USA
  • Anna Vernardos, Clear Lake High School, Houston, USA
  • Rebecca Walden, Richland Northeast High School, Columbia
  • Lindsay Walle, Lamar Consolidated High School, Sugar Land
  • David Weinstein, Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Bridgewater
  • Elizabeth Weisenburger, Nanaimo District, Nanaimo, Canada
  • Jessie White, Albemarle High School, Earlysville, USA
  • Randall Williams, Mariemont High School, Terrace Park, USA
  • Chad Williams, Cinco Ranch High School, Katy, USA
  • Megan Wing, East Lincoln High School, Denver, USA
  • Alex Witkowski, Redlands East Valley High, Highland, USA
  • Sally Yacout, Enloe High School, Raleigh, USA
  • Michael Yarbrough, Blackman High School, Smyrna, USA
  • Paul Zajac, Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore, USA
  • Sherry Zhang, Cinco Ranch High School, Katy, USA
  • Yang Yang Zhou, Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Bridgewater