The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s annual scholarships for winning student essays have been awarded for 2002, with a total of $2,750 going to 13 currently enrolled college students, and $2,250 awarded to newly enrolled college students.
Kerrigan Valentine’s essay, “Behind Frankincense,” won her first place and the Phyllis Grams Memorial Award of $1,000. Kerrigan is enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College majoring in science.
Teddy Cox won second place ($500) for his essay about leaving the Mormon Church, “From Preacher to Apostate: How I Put God to the Test.” Cox, majoring in Spanish and Latin American studies, is a junior at the University of California-Los Angeles. He plans to become a college professor.
Placing third was the essay “Spurting Out of Religious Servility: Decisions of a Disbeliever in the Bible Belt” by Jennifer Chadwick, a sophomore majoring in pre-pharmacy at the University of Mississippi-Oxford. Her cash prize was $250. These essays were published in the September 2002 issue of Freethought Today.
Honorable Mentions of $100 were awarded to: Dean Berry, Mass.; Susie Cosier, Mich.; Kristina da Fonseca, Mass.; Nate Hertweck, N.M.; Mike Jerue, Colo.; Cathy Lez, Colo.; T’ere Healoha Pagaduan, Hawaii; Jeanne Petty, Mich.; Richard Spencer, Ga., and Greg Foster, Fla. Their essays will be excerpted in future issues.
The top winning essays in the Foundation’s annual essay competition for college-bound high school grads are in this issue.
This year’s Blanche Fearn Memorial Award of $1,000 goes to Vered B. for “Education under God.” Vered just graduated from Western High School, in Davie, Fla., and will study journalism at Brandeis University, Mass.
Second place of $500 was awarded to Andrea Burbank for “Congress Shall Make No Law.” Andrea graduated from State College Area High School in State College, Penn., and is a new student at Stanford University.
Third place honors were taken by Aron Talenfeld for “Learning ‘Under God.’ ” Aron received $250. He graduated from Arcadia High School, Phoenix, and is enrolled at the University of Arizona.
Five high school grads received $100 Honorable Mention awards: Kathryn Poulios, Penn.; Sierra Smith, Ohio; Danilee Eichhorn, Penn.; Hope Butler; N.C., and Sean Carroll, Conn. Their essays will be excerpted in future issues of Freethought Today.
