Programs > Education Programs > Annual Essay Contest > 2023 Winners
Essay Contest Winners
Middle School
First Place
Liliana Beighley
Woodland Park Middle School
Grade 8
(“All It Takes, Is All You Got”)
Teacher: Laura Whitney
​
Second Place
Callie Carvajal
Woodland Park Middle School
Grade 8
(“Alice Ball: A Hidden Hero”)
Teacher: Laura Whitney
Third Place
Sophie de la Houssaye
Correia Middle School
Grade 7
("Won’t you be my Neighbor?” Mister Rogers Inspires America”)
Teacher: Keri Clark
High School
First Place
Sophia Cook
Academy of Our Lady of Peace
Grade 9
(“The Woman Who Never Backed Down, Susan B. Anthony”)
Teacher: Bethany Klint
​
Second Place
Johnathan Duong
San Ysidro High School
Grade 12
(“Sergeant First Class Robert L. Howard, US Army”)
Teacher: Marko Gutierrez
Third Place
Isabella Nguyen
Scripps Ranch High School
Grade 9
(“Maya Angelou”)
Teacher: Ferdinand Toledo
​
Read Our Winning Essays
Liliana Beighley
“All It Takes, Is All You Got”
There is nothing greater than service to your country in defense of its freedom. You should always put in the maximum effort to achieve something you strongly believe in. Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by the core values of the United States Marine Corps...