Sun Lakes judges select national essay winner

Pictured left to right are judges Bill Forrest, Dick Nelsen and Georgia Strisik.

Pictured left to right are judges Bill Forrest, Dick Nelsen and Georgia Strisik.

Toni Bolling

Arizona has produced a national winner in DAR’s Christopher Columbus Essay Contest. Three Sun Lakes judges selected the winning essay for Arizona; the essay went on to capture first place at the Southwest Division level and finally took the national first place award among fierce competition. The contest showcases some of the best essay writers in the country, and highlights the difficulty of writing a quality essay. Writing a good essay at any level is difficult, and many school or college students might want to seek out the help of a professional writer from an essay help service like edupeet if they have an extended writing assignment to complete. However, there are loads of different essay writing help sites that people could use if they wanted. You just have to spend five minutes looking around and finding the best one for you. For example, you might decide that using a website like www.essayhelp.org is better for you. But it’s up to you.

Lakers Bill Forrest, Dick Nelsen and Georgia Strisik judged essays from around the state and selected the essay entitled “How Do Americans View Christopher Columbus and George Washington Today?” submitted by Anita Ramaswamy of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale.

On Columbus Day, Ms. Ramaswamy will read her winning essay at the national wreath-laying ceremony in Washington, D.C., taking her place on the dais alongside members of Congress and foreign diplomats and religious leaders. The event is an annual commemoration held at the Columbus Memorial statue.

Since 1996, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has joined with the National Italian American Foundation to sponsor the annual Christopher Columbus Essay Contest. The contest is open to all students grades nine-12. The national winner receives paid lodging and transportation to Washington for the Columbus Day celebration, as well as a $1,200 prize.

DAR is a national volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to historic preservation, education and patriotism. The Christopher Columbus Essay Contest is administered by DAR’s American History Committee, whose purpose is to promote American history by honoring significant people, places, dates and events.

In Washington, Ms. Ramaswamy will read the following: “Washington and Columbus deserve the national reverence they receive. While they both had different contributions to American advancement, their similar perseverance and spirit epitomize the qualities that have propelled our nation forth in times of turmoil. Even now, centuries later, Americans still recognize and rightly appreciate the momentous effects of these two men on history.”