NEW YORK, NY (May 30, 2008) – On May 30, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History announced the winners of the 2008 Civil War Essay Contest. The contest, open only to students in Gilder Lehrman schools, is designed to enhance knowledge of the Civil War era and reward outstanding research and writing.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Civil War Round Table of New York sponsor the contest, which is in its tenth year. Winners were selected by a panel of jurors from both organizations based on use of primary sources; clearness and originality of thesis; organization of the essay; correct documentation of sources; and quality of writing. One hundred forty-five high school students and thirty-seven middle school students, representing the top essays submitted from thirty high schools and seven middle schools, participated in the contest.

“It is a pleasure to see that critical thinking is flourishing at high schools and middle schools around the country,” said Martin Smith of the Civil War Round Table of New York.

“These students have shown their passion and skill as researchers and writers of American history,” said Lesley Herrmann, Executive Director of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

The following prizes will be awarded at a ceremony in New York City on June 11:

High School:

First Prize ($1,000 to the winner, $500 honorarium to the winner’s school):
Amanda Ebert (Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Milwaukee, WI)
“The Woman's Sphere: Anti-Feminism Within the Abolitionist Movement”

Second Prize ($750):
April Soohoo (John F. Kennedy High School, Bellmore, NY)
“The Forgotten Warriors: Children of the Civil War”

Third Prize ($500):
Michael Commesso (Patchogue-Medford High School, Medford, NY)
“Cotton in the Civil War”

Honorable Mention ($100) (in alphabetical order):

Giuliano Fulco (Salesian High School, New Rochelle, NY)
Shanee Griffith (Notre Dame School, New York, NY)
Katherine Kaze (Brooklyn Technical High School, Brooklyn, NY)
Esther Kim (Academy of American Studies, Long Island City, NY)
Sarah Knight (Eureka High School, Eureka, CA)
Ornella Delle Noci (Notre Dame School, New York, NY)
Joseph David Redemann (Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Milwaukee, WI)

Middle School:

First Prize ($300):
Judy Pu (Louis Pasteur Middle School, Little Neck, NY)
“The Domino Effect: Causes of the Civil War”

Second Prize ($200):
Nora Kane (Susan B. Anthony Middle School, Minneapolis, MN)
“John Brown's Harper's Ferry Raid”

Third Prize ($100):
Brodin Jentz (Susan B. Anthony Middle School, Minneapolis, MN)
“The Emancipation Proclamation”

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History sponsors over forty history schools nationwide. Gilder Lehrman history schools are rigorous, college-preparatory schools centered on American history. They have a track record of raising test scores and sending more than ninety percent of graduating seniors to college. At the core of these schools is a four-year sequence of courses in American history.

Founded in 1994, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History promotes the study and love of American history. The Institute serves teachers, students, scholars, and the general public. It helps create history-centered schools, organizes seminars and programs for educators, produces print and electronic publications and traveling exhibitions, sponsors lectures by eminent historians, and administers a History Teacher of the Year Award in every state through its partnership with Preserve America. The Institute also awards the Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and George Washington Book Prizes, and offers fellowships for scholars to work in the Gilder Lehrman Collection. The Institute maintains two websites, www.gilderlehrman.org and the quarterly online journal www.historynow.org.

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The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
19 West 44th Street, Suite 500
New York, NY 10036
www.gilderlehrman.org