President Gerald R. Ford Student Writing Challenge 2024 Rules, Guidelines, & Timeline (Download PDF of Rules, Guidelines & Timeline) 2024 President Gerald R. Ford Student Writing Challenge Theme: The Meaning of “American Citizen” On April 3, 1975,...
Grace Langeland Hamilton High School “Unity in Diversity” Almost 8 billion of us share this planet breathe the same air look up at the same moon get warmed by the same sun But we are not the same. We tend to get caught up on our differences, The way we...
Melanie TenElshof Plymouth Christian School It’s Wednesday morning. I am greeted by the typical morning bustle as I enter school and head to the Special Needs classroom. As usual, I knock on the door, and a small girl engrossed in a puzzle jumps up and runs over to...
Aidan P. Rozema Grand Rapids Christian High School “Porches, Politics, and Our ‘Most Priceless Asset’” The first door I knocked belonged to a small corner house, tight to the street. A cracked concrete step shifted as I approached. Full of anxiety and...
Harlie B. Choponis Hart High School “Firmness of Purpose” “Nothing can withstand the power of the human will if it is willing to stake its very existence to the extent of its purpose.” — Benjamin Disreali What is my purpose? Is a question we ask ourselves It is...
Lillian Van Gelderen Hart High School “Dear Determination” Dear Determination, Please show who you are, to me and to the world. You are needed, but not known. You are yearned for, but not met. So please, oh please, show us who you are. Are you a sprint, lasting only...
Isabel Gil Forest Hills Eastern High School “Thump” I watch him ascend to the top of the rock wall, the faint smell of feet and particles of chalk dust tickling my nose. My mom stands next to me, shouting praise with every thump of my brother’s hand grabbing another...
Caroline Kuntzman Forest Hills Northern High School, Grade 12 “Mirrors” “You never really know a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” Atticus Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird. Over the course...
Megan Grant Newaygo High School, Grade 11 “Abandoning the Trenches” Fight fire With fire Or take my hand? Yell Scream Grit our teeth Clench our fists Plug our ears Close off our minds And shut everyone who disagrees Out Or Listen? Not just hear- Listen. Turn away Or...
Ben Joppich Catholic Central High School, Grade 12 “Civility as a Solution” Civility is the foundation for all intelligent conversation. Without the support of civility the house of intellectual debate and discourse would crumble to the ground. Civility is what makes...
