2014 World Citizen Essay Contest
June 5th, 2014
Congratulations 2014 World Citizen Essay Contest Winners!
Washington State students in grades 3-12 were asked to respond to the following prompt:
If you traveled with the same goal, where would you go and why? What would you hope to learn? How will traveling to this place and meeting its residents broaden your perspectives – why is this important? Through his book, TV and radio shows, guided tours, and public speaking engagements, Rick Steves has introduced Americans to many parts of the world. His recent book, Travel as a Political Act, suggests that travel may be important for reasons that go beyond a dream vacation. Rick Steves has traveled to Iran, Israel, and Palestine among other places, with the goal of making connections with and understanding the concerns of the people who live there.
Congratulations to our winners:
| Grades 3-5 | Grades 6-8 | Grades 9-12 | |
| First Place | Aryeh Tenbroek,
Bryant Elementary, |
Anirudh Prakash,
Odle Middle School, |
Daaniya Iyaz,
STEM HS, |
| Second Place | Roberto Kannapell,
Bryant Elementary, |
Melinda Day,
Tahoma Middle School, |
Warisha Soomro,
STEM High School, |
| Third Place | Gilly Wolf,
Bryant Elementary, |
Gabrielle Chappell,
College Place Middle School, |
Marium Raza,
Redmond High School, “Hopeless Paradise: Questions about the Future of Swat Valley, Pakistan” |
On June 5th, Rick Steves joined the World Affairs Council and essay contest winners to speak on the value of thoughtful travel and present students with their certificates and prizes.
We received nearly 450 essays this year! Thank you to everyone who participated. And thank you to our volunteer judges!