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.

2006 Anthem Essay Contest

Anthem Essay Winners

Winners:

Anthem Cover

First Place

  • Lian States, Fairfield Community HS, Geff, IL
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Second Place

  • Korynne Bolt, Homeschool, South Bend, IN
  • Emily Eckart, Norton HS, Norton, MA
  • Sally Howe, Hastings HS, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
  • Ketan Ramakrishnan, Madison West HS, Madison, WI
  • Stephanie Spencer, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA

Third Place

  • Rachel S. Drummey, Mansfield HS, Mansfield, MA
  • Katrina Enright, MMI Prep., Berwick, PA
  • Jessica Lange, Home School, Chesterfield, MO
  • Matt Mahoney, Chandler HS, Chandler, AZ
  • Stephanie Newman, Fairfield Warde HS, Fairfield, CT
  • Alyson Pittman, Bainbridge HS, Climax, GA
  • Anna Springfield, Raleigh Charter HS, Raleigh, NC
  • Sarah Sullivan, Palm Desert HS, Palm Desert, CA
  • Sinye Tang, U. of Toronto Schools, Toronto, ON, CA
  • Joe Thiel, Skyline HS, Idaho Falls, ID

Finalist

  • Shannon Aeschliman, Germantown HS, Milwaukee, WI
  • Sarah Best, Northeast HS, Clarksville, TN
  • Scott Bowen, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX
  • Megan Brawner, El Camino HS, Ventura, CA
  • Kelly Meagan Brewer, Louisberg HS, Louisburg, NC
  • Bizz Browning, Skyline HS, Idaho Falls, ID
  • Chris Cho, Centennial HS, Norco, CA
  • Raymond Chouinard, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, GA
  • Dan Ewert, Germantown HS, Germantown, WI
  • Alison Gould, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, GA
  • Kelly Grossman, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Colin Hannifin, Chancellor HS, Fredericksburg, VA
  • Jennifer Hurst, Parkway West HS, Manchester, MO
  • Paul Jeffrey, Mission Viejo HS, Trabuco Canyon, CA
  • Stefan Karlsson, Redlands East Valley HS, Highland, CA
  • Laurie Kenyon, Schoolcraft HS, Schoolcraft, MI
  • Thomas Kinnebrew, S.Vigo HS, TerreHaute, IN
  • Lynne Kohlhase, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Whitney Landon, Mohave HS, Fort Mohave, AZ
  • Shir Levkowitz, Andover HS, Andover, MA
  • Kristine Lirio, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Kelly Nishikawa, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Matthew Oursbourn, Lebanon HS, Lebanon, MO
  • Biplab Panda, Roswell HS, Roswell, GA
  • Komal Patel, Seminole HS, Casselberry, FL
  • Hermann Piard, Homestead, FL
  • Lauren Pindroh, Mission Viejo HS, Mission Viejo, CA
  • Hunter Sceats, Cheyenne Mountain HS, Colorado Springs, CO
  • Hayley Schilling, Bloomington HS South, Bloomington, IN
  • Kristen Schmeisser, NewCastle Chysler HS, New Castle, IN
  • Andrew Sindoni, Palm Desert HS, Indian Wells, CA
  • Andrea Snow, Germantown HS, Germantown, WI
  • Alyssa Stevenson, Brighton HS, Brighton, MI
  • Alyssa Taylor, Grand Blanc HS, Grand Blanc, MI
  • Maret Tindal, Priorlake HS, Prior Lake, MN
  • Elizabeth Tompkins, Marian Central Cath.HS, McHenry, IL
  • Corrine Wager, Ludlow Senior HS, Ludlow, MA
  • June Wang, Shorecrest HS, Shoreline, WA
  • Zachary Weimer, Rockwood Area HS, PA
  • Rachel Williams,TriCity Prep HS, Prescott, AZ
  • Addison Wright, Lassiter HS, Marietta, GA
  • Katy Wright, Mesquite HS, Gilbert, AZ
  • Danni Xie, Westlake HS, Thousand Oaks, CA
  • Ray Xiong, Cordova HS, Cordova, TN
  • Frank Zhang, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA

Semi-Finalist

  • Alia Alanizi, Mission Viejo HS, Capistrano Beach, CA
  • Neha Bagadiya, Lassiter HS, Roswell, GA
  • Matthew Banks, Boiling Springs, Inman, SC
  • Amy Bartholomew, Elizabeth Area HS, Elizabethtown, PA
  • Nicole Battisti, Hammond HS, Columbia, MD
  • Ernest Bean, Alliance Acad. International, Quito, Ecuador
  • Paul Beckman, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX
  • Erica Begley, Hannibal HS, Hannibal, MO
  • Alexia Bell, Lee Freshman HS, Midland, TX
  • Kristina Bender, Rocky Mount Acad., Rocky Mount, NC
  • Benjamin Berk, Pinecrest HS, Southern Pines, NC
  • Sarathi Bhattacharyya, Mission Viejo HS, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
  • Irteza-Binte Farid, Albmarle HS, Charlottsville, VA
  • Ashley Biondich, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, GA
  • Jennifer Blackie, Mission Viejo HS, Mission Viejo, CA
  • Laura Bonner, Parkway West HS, Ballwin, MO
  • Erika Bronikowski, Germantown HS, Germantown, WI
  • Elise Buckwalter, Dowingtown HS, Downingtown, PA
  • Stephanie Burbage, Cinco Ranch HS, Katy, TX
  • Haley Cade, Jeffersontown HS, Louisville, KY
  • Elizabeth Caruth, Morrilton HS, Morrilton, AR
  • Ross Caton, Western Albemarle HS, Earlysville, VA
  • Margaret Chardiet, Easton Area HS, Easton, PA
  • Leah Cofer, Calera HS, Calera, AL
  • Allison Daminger, Pitman HS, Pitman, NJ
  • Chris Davis, Sahauaro HS, Tucson, AZ
  • Courtney DeKlotz, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Robin Dembroff, Homeschooled, Visalia, CA
  • Benjamin Dozier, Los Alamos HS, Los Alamos, NM
  • Lacey Dunkley, Blackman HS, Murfreesboro, TN
  • John Easton, Parkway West HS, Manchester, MO
  • MacKenzie Edwards, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • KJ Eikenberry, Rhodes Junior HS, Mesa, AZ
  • Leila Einhorn, Cinnaminson HS, Cinnaminson, NJ
  • Brad Elliott, Mississenwa HS, Gas City, IN
  • Elaine Fang, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Lisa Fitton, South Haven HS, South Haven, MI
  • Brad Frandsen, Yuma HS, Yuma, AZ
  • Chris Fulton, South Plainfield HS, South Plainfield, NJ
  • David Galvin, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX
  • Kristyn Goodman, Union Endicott HS, Endicott, NY
  • Jenny Gu, McClintock HS, Chandler, AZ
  • Danny Guerra, Jersey Community HS, Elsah, IL
  • Jessica Hale, Ludlow Senior HS, Ludlow, MA
  • Amelia Hall, Natchitoches Central HS, Natchitoches, LA
  • Alex Hanson, Olympus HS, Taylorsville, UT
  • Marian Harper, North Thurston HS, Lacey, WA
  • Kevin Heatherington, Chandler HS, Chandler, AZ
  • Kylie Hensley, Granite Hills HS, El Cajon, CA
  • Brian Hepler, Downingtown West HS, Glenmoore, PA
  • Jack Holkeboer, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, GA
  • Christopher Hong, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Chris Hooks, Brighton HS, Brighton, MI
  • Jinling Huo, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Elizabeth Jacob, The Wheatley School, Roslyn Heights, NY
  • Pooja Jaeel, Amador Valley HS, Pleasanton, CA
  • Hannah Jarman-Miller, Beaverton HS, Beaverton, OR
  • Alyson Jarvis, Ludlow Senior HS, Ludlow, MA
  • Andrew Johnson, Klein Collins HS, Spring, TX
  • Adam Katcher, The Bromfield School, Harvard, MA
  • D.C. Kelley, PA Cyber Charter School, West Chester, PA
  • Jordan Kent-Bryant, Grand Blanc HS, Grand Blanc, MI
  • Andrea Kim, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Mason Kingsley, Highland HS, Craigmont, ID
  • Elizabeth Kingston, Grand Blanc HS, Grand Blanc, MI
  • Katelyn Kirk, Leavitt Area HS, Leeds, ME
  • Alexis Klefeker, Homestead HS, Fort Wayne, IN
  • Neeraj Kohirkar, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Priscilla Kwan, Bayside Secondary School, Trenton, ON, CA
  • Kenneth Kwitek, St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS, Vallejo, CA
  • Sarah Lavinder, Heritage HS, Lynchburg, VA
  • Kayla Layton, Havre de Grace HS, Havre de Grace, MD
  • Drake LeBrun, Westwood HS, Austin, TX
  • Rachel Lederstein, Alisa M. FlatowYeshivea HS, Spring Valley, NY
  • Rebecca Lee, Desert Mountain HS, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Laura Levan, Conrad Wieser HS, Wernersville, PA
  • Eric Li, Cinco Ranch HS, Katy, TX
  • Roxanne Li, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX
  • Benjamin Lin, Monta Vista HS, Cupertino, CA
  • Jeremy Liss, Jewish Academy of Metro Detroit, Southfield, MI
  • Elizabeth Little, Union Endicott HS, Endicott, NY
  • Sarah Loiselle, Hamilton HS, Chandler, AZ
  • Uvette Lou, Roswell HS, Roswell, GA
  • Lauren Lowe, Dobyns Bennett, Kingsport, TN
  • Valiant Lowitz, Whitney M. Young Magnet HS, Chicago, IL
  • Julia Lyon, Morrilton HS, Morrilton, AR
  • Natalie Malowany, Holy Trinity Acad., Calgary, AB, CA
  • Douglas McDonald, Harriton HS, Bryn Mawr, PA
  • Naveen Mehta, Westwood HS, Austin, TX
  • Gary Meisner, Buena HS, Sierra Vista, AZ
  • Chelsea Mendola, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, GA
  • Jerrika Meyer, Morrilton HS, Morrilton, AR
  • Kayla Milewski, Hanover Area Jr./Sr. HS, Hanover, PA
  • Megan Miller, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA
  • Rebecca Minorini, Westwood HS, Austin, TX
  • Andrew Moir, Mother Ter.Cath.Secondary, Lucan, Ontario
  • Taylor Montgomery, Lassiter HS, Marietta, GA
  • Michael Morrison, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX
  • Angie Mullally, Grand Blanc HS, Grand Blanc, MI
  • Shannon Nakai, McPherson HS, McPherson, KS
  • Navya Tej Nandamudi, Marshall HS, Marshall, TX
  • Sarah Evelyn Nielson, Moscow HS, Moscow, ID
  • Steven Niette, Natchitoches Central HS, Natchitoches, LA
  • Amelia Noor, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Leanne Nott, Stanwood HS, Stanwood, WA
  • Joel Ockerman, Douglas MacArthur HS, San Antonio, TX
  • Laura Orozco, C.Douglas Killough HS-North, Lewisville, TX
  • Amber Oswald, Skyline HS, Idaho Falls, ID
  • Alex Oxyer, Homestead HS, Fort Wayne, IN
  • Katie Palleschi, Malvern HS, Malvern, OH
  • Shawn Pan, White Station HS, Cordova, TN
  • Lala Park, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Jimmy Parker, Middletown HS, Middletown, DE
  • Cameron Pennock, Mayfield HS
  • Alex Perkins, Ontario Christian HS, Corona, CA
  • Caitlin Peterkin, Mariemont HS, Terrace Park, OH
  • Julianne J. Peters, Perryville HS, Conowingo, MD
  • Chelsea Phipps, Smoky Mountain HS, Sylva, NC
  • Justin Preuett, Obion County Central HS, Troy, TN
  • Renetta Rawlings, McCook HS, McCook, NE
  • Joanna Resh, Mesquite HS, Gilbert, AZ
  • Nash Riggins, West Junior HS, Lawrence, KS
  • William Roane, Paul W. Bryant HS, Tuscaloosa, AL
  • Christopher Russo, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX
  • Sarina Sadana, Albany Academy For Girls, Queensbury, NY
  • Stephanie Sagey, Mission Viejo HS, Trabuco Canyon, CA
  • Chris Schreiber, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, GA
  • Becky Schroeder, Union Endicott HS, Endicott, NY
  • Nonie Sethi, West Windsor Plainsboro HS South, Plainsboro, NJ
  • Samuel Settle, St. Joseph’s Prep., Philadelphia, PA
  • Amanda Shaheen, Central Cambria HS, Johnstown, PA
  • Kimberly Shupe, homeschool, Lusby, MD
  • Dylan Simms, Schenectady HS, Schenectady, NY
  • Shifali Singh, Morgan Park Academy, Dyer, IN
  • Chris Sinquefield, Lassiter HS, Roswell, GA
  • Leah Smith, Lakewood HS, Arvada, CO
  • Joanna Smulska, Grand Blanc HS, Grand Blanc, MI
  • Nina Soonthornthiti, Redlands East Valley HS, Highland, CA
  • Robbie Souza, St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS, Vallejo, CA
  • Teresa St. Pierre, Moscow HS, Moscow, ID
  • Stevie Stewart, Mesquite HS, Gilbert, AZ
  • Jennifer Suiter, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Carson Sullivan, Gaston Day School, Fort Mill, NC
  • Vincent Sung, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Emilia Szeszko, Rockville HS, Vernon, CT
  • Kelsey Taylor, Downingtown HS, Downingtown, PA
  • Kevin Tham, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Max Theielr, Los Alamos HS, Los Alamos, NM
  • Jamie Thomas, Dobyns-Bennett HS, Kingsport, TN
  • Christine Thrasher, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Paul Tindall, Linfield HS, Fallbrook, CA
  • Alex Tockstein, Benton Consolidated HS, Benton, IL
  • Luke Tolley, Avon HS, Avon, IL
  • Stacey K. Torigoe, Waiakea HS, Hilo, HI
  • Alexa Tzaferos, Hammonton HS, Hammonton, NJ
  • Adam Uranic, Victor Senior HS, Victor, NY
  • Noah VanBergen, North Muskegon HS, North Muskegon, MI
  • Andrew Vance, Seminole HS, Sanford, FL
  • Donnie Vineyard, South Rowan HS, China Grove, NC
  • Elizabeth Visosky, Conc-Carlisle Regional HS, Concord, MA
  • Harsha Viswanathan, University City HS, San Diego, CA
  • Caithin Walsh, Redlands East Valley HS, Mentone, CA
  • Katlin Wannow, Heritage HS, Conyers, GA
  • Elizabeth Webb, Western Albermarle HS, Charlottesville, VA
  • Jessica Weizer, Clear Lake HS, Houston, TX
  • Abi Werner, St. Johns HS, St. Johns, MI
  • Daniel B. Williams, Albuquerque HS, Albuquerque, NM
  • Jennifer Xie, Irvine HS, Irvine, CA
  • Jennifer Yeh, Auburn HS, Auburn, AL
  • Taylor Yust, Joplin HS, Joplin, MO
  • Parisa Zaeri, C.D. Killough HS-North, Lewisville, TX
  • Melanie Zajac, Rockville HS, Vernon, CT
  • Carolyn Zemanian, Norfolk Collegiate School, Norfolk, VA
  • Helena Zhang, West HS, Torrance, CA
  • Sloane Zimmerman, Mount Home JHS, Mountain Home, AR