MHS student barges into final round of nat’l essay tilt

A Marianas High School student’s essay has made it to the top 12 in the entire nation for final consideration in the 2023 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest sponsored by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and its 15 judicial districts.

Jia Ross Nicdao’s essay entry in the 2023 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest was named one of the essays for final consideration in the contest that was eventually won by Liam Hutchison, from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was awarded the first-place prize of $3,000.

Second place went to Emma Foster of Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. She won $1,700. Third place went to Hannah Kurland-Cohen from The Downtown School in Seattle, Washington. She won $1,000.

The 2023 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest is an essay and video contest that aims to promote civics education throughout the Ninth Circuit and its jurisdictions. The theme this year was “The 28th Amendment—What Should Our Next Amendment Be?” and students were challenged to think about what amendment they would propose and why, and how they would get their amendment ratified.

The winners of the video competition who will receive cash prizes are:

• First place–Luke Blue ($3,000), Mt. Spokane High School, Mead, Washington
• Second place–Team of Kevin Guo, Viktor Maletin and Annie Shang (total of $1,700), Cupertino High School, Cupertino, California
• Third place–Team of James Sripranaratanakul and Martin Anderson (total of $1,000), IDEA High School, Tacoma, Washington

The first-place winners, along with a parent or guardian, will also be invited to attend the 2023 Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. Federal courts in all 15 judicial districts in the Ninth Circuit held local contests with winners who went on to compete in the circuit-wide contest. Of the 966 essays and 86 video entries received, 45 essays and 30 videos from the local contests advanced to the circuit level. Of the entries that advanced, 12 essays and 10 videos were selected for final consideration by PICO committee members, judges, court and unit executives, and attorneys. Blind judging was used throughout the judging process.

Besides Nicdao, others who made it to the top 12 for final consideration are:

• Mihika Agrawal, Cupertino High School, Cupertino, California
• Luke Alexander, Sehome High School, Bellingham, Washington
• Madeleine Chang, Hamilton High School, Chandler, Arizona
• David Estrada, Windward School, Los Angeles
• Ayden Kelley, Moscow High School, Moscow, Idaho
• Courtney Tetteh-Martey, Sage Hill School, Newport Coast, California
• Kate Stuckart, Central Catholic High School, Portland, Oregon

The students who made it to the final round of judging did so well that the organizing committee decided to award $300 to two students for honorable mentions: Ananya Mahadevan (essay), of California Connections Academy, in Ripon, Calif., and Delaney Blenkinsop (video), of Boise High School, in Boise, Idaho.

The competition was open to students in grades 9-12 in public, private and parochial schools and home-schooled students of equivalent grade status in nine western states and two Pacific island jurisdictions.

“The theme of this year’s Civics Contest, ‘The 28th Amendment—What Should Our Next Amendment Be?’ invited students to reflect on the privileges and obligations of citizenship combined with their aspirations for the fair operation and oversight of government. I am delighted that so many young people in our circuit took the time to share their valuable ideas with us through their thoughtful essay and creative video submissions. Congratulations to the winners of this year’s competition!” said Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Mary H. Murguia. (Saipan Tribune)