TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — High-school student winners in The University of Alabama’s 15th annual “To Kill A Mockingbird” Essay Contest will be recognized on campus with a luncheon and awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m. in the Ferguson Center Ballroom Friday, Feb. 5.
The essay contest is hosted, for the first time, by UA’s College of Communication & Information Sciences.
Contest submissions were accepted from high-school students across the state of Alabama. Each participating school chose a winning entry, and a monetary prize will be given to the school winners at Friday’s luncheon.
One student will be named the statewide winner and receive a $500 cash prize for themselves and a $500 cash prize for their school.
Pulitzer Prize winning author Rick Bragg, a professor of writing in UA’s journalism department, will give the keynote address at the event.
The essay contest began in 2001 to recognize author Harper Lee’s induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor. Participants were required to write a 500-750 word essay about how the book remains relevant to readers in today’s society.
Sponsors of this years contest include: University Libraries, the Alabama Center for the Book, Academic Affairs, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Alabama Heritage, the Alabama Press Association, the Alabama Alumni Association, Early College, the College of Education, New College and the Honors College.
The 2016 school winners include:
Betty Araya, Chelsea High School
Emily Banks, Berry High School
Madison Barron, Southside High School
Hannah Blankenship, Whitesburg Christian Academy
Harper Blount, Tuscaloosa Academy
Lynleigh Byram, Lynn High School
Lauren Choi, Spain Park High School
Seth Conn, Bessemer Academy
Mary Brook Diamond, Evangel Christian School
James Dixon, Altamount School
Emma Dunnam, Monroe Academy
Megan Gangl, Madison County High School
Conor Gilpin, Shades Mountain Christian School
Amelia Harrison, Buckhorn High School
Elizabeth Harvey, Benjamin Russell High School
James Thomas Holt, Reeltown High School
Jeremy Jones, John Carroll Catholic High School
Rachel Lanier, Brookwood High School
Leah Leary, Central High School of Clay County
Mary Grace Long, Evangel Classical Christian School
Peyton Mathews, Straughn High School
Claudia Mitchell, Hillcrest High School
David Moorer, Millry High School
Sarah Oetken, McGill-Toulin High School
Anna Shipman, Winston County High School
Caroline Smith, Providence Christian School
Sarah Van Winkle, Athens High School
Emmanuel Vanderson, Russell County High School
Amanda Vick, Shelby County High School
Alleigh Ward, Cherokee County High School
Sarah White, Pinson Valley High School
Erica Williams, Geraldine High School
Contact
Hailey Grace Steele, College of Communication & Information Sciences, hailey.g.steele@ua.edu, 205/348-6416