CRAFTSBURY – Craftsbury Academy Sophomore Ada Allen was awarded third place in Bernie Sander’s 16th Annual State of the Union Essay contest. Her essay proposing a community capacity-building after school program was one of only 15 essays chosen from 418 entries statewide.
She and 13 other high school student finalists participated in a roundtable discussion with Bernie Sanders at the Vermont State House, Saturday, March 21, noted an OSSU social media post. “Ada and the other finalists received framed copies of their essays, which Senator Sanders placed in the Congressional Record, the official archive of the United States Congress.“
Allen said she did a lot of research for the essay which proposes creation of an American Student Community Corps (ASCC). Modeled on the Civilian Conservation Corps, it would support student interns, connecting them with their communities and promoting well-being.
Her essay was written as an assignment for her AP United States Government and Politics course. Entering it in the contest was an optional, extra-credit option.
Allen learned about receiving the award when a random number rang her phone. She answered it anyway and learned of her selection. “I was surprised, then they sent an email” to confirm it, she said.
“Senator Sanders knows that real change and new ideas can come from everyone , not just those in power, which is why he invites Vermont high school students to write a 250-500 word essay focusing on what they believe is a major challenge facing our country, and how they would solve it,” says the contest web portal
“I like thinking of a problem and thinking of a solution to it,” she said about the original idea that earned her award. “I like reading and reading policy too, and learning about the foundations of government.” She’s also taking AP English, which probably helped with writing the essay, she said.
The judges are teachers and said her essay was well-formulated, Allen said. “Bernie didn’t read the essays, but I think he would support the idea I proposed.”
Her “inspiration for the topic was her interest in education,” she said, adding she’d like to be a teacher, though she has plenty of time to decide since she’s now a sophomore.
Each year, the President of the United States delivers a “State of the Union” speech to Congress, to report on the state of our country and outline priorities for the coming year.
Senator Bernie Sanders’ annual State of the Union Essay Contest is designed to engage Vermont’s high school students on the major issues facing the country. Over the past fifteen years, over 6,600 students throughout Vermont have written essays about critically important issues, including climate change, racial justice, access to mental health care, the state of our democracy and much, much more.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
