FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 1, 2013) — Chelsea Wilson, a junior at the J. Graham Brown School in Louisville, is the winner of the Promote Your School essay contest sponsored by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA). She earned a $500 college scholarship and the opportunity for her school to be featured in future college planning materials published by KHEAA.
The essay topic was “What is the biggest challenge high school students face?” The contest drew more than 200 entries from 66 high schools across the state. Judges said Wilson’s essay was written with “maturity and insight” as she considered the essay topic from an adult point of view.
Wilson’s essay focused on a nontraditional challenge topic, that of teenage limbo, where students are both expected to be adults in some ways yet still follow the rules for teenagers.
“It was a twist on the ‘biggest challenge’ narrative,” one judge said. “It made you think about meeting the inconsistent demands we ask of young people to be grown up enough to shoulder considerable responsibility while we still treat them as children.”
Kentucky Treasurer Todd Hollenbach awarded Chelsea Wilson with a plaque Nov. 1 at her school. Principal Timothy Healy also accepted a plaque honoring the school as the Kentucky 2014 Model School for being featured in upcoming marketing materials.
Wilson and some of her classmates will participate in a photo shoot at Brown. The pictures will be used by KHEAA in free college planning guides for high school students, as well as posters, brochures and other publications.
Wilson is the daughter of Michael and Cynthia Wilson of Louisville.
Honorable mention went to Molly O’Mera of Lexington Catholic High School and Alexa Burke of Daviess County High School.
Other finalists in the essay contest were Jessica Johnson of Grayson County High School; Marissa Richardson of Scott High School in Covington; Brook Billings of Powell County High School; Justin Mitchell, Emma Dalton and Emily Coomes, all of Eminence High School; Michael Branch of the J. Graham Brown School; Madison Lee of LaRue County High School; Onajia Stubblefield of Mayfield High School; Miranda Mason of Owen County High School; Morgan Aldridge of Sayers Classical Academy in Louisville; and Tyler Nichols of Spencer County High School.
KHEAA is the state agency that administers grants, the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES), work-study and savings programs.
To learn how to plan and prepare for higher education, visit www.gotocollege.ky.gov. For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602-0798; or call (800) 928-8926, extension 7372.
