Essays About Lincoln was a one-time statewide reading and writing contest to celebrate the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth - February 12, 2009. The deadline to enter was: May 31, 2008. Winners were announced in December 2008 and the Awards Ceremony took place on March 24, 2009 at the Illinois State Library in Springfield, Illinois.

Essays About Lincoln was a joint effort of the Illinois State Archives, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois State Library in partnership with the Illinois Center for the Book.

Press Release Announcing Winners

Entry Forms and Guidelines

Essays About Lincoln Winners

Level I Winners
1st Place - June Kreml, Bellville
2nd Place - Grace Moran, Rock Island
3rd Place - Summer Wu, Lake Forest

Finalists

Semi-Finalists

Adeel Afshar, Des Plaines
Holly Baldacci, Algonquin
Mitchell Beasley, Chicago
Erin Bottino, Roselle
Deanna Clayton, Northfield
Mick Donahue, Northfield
Peyton Matthews, Litchfield
Emma Plansky, Algonquin
Eric Porter, Deerfield
Hannah Rodgers, Rock Island
Bella Truong, Northfield
Sade Vauters, East St. Louis
Elaena Williams, Crest Hill
 

Level II Winners
1st Place - Bryce Peters, Palos Heights
2nd Place - Sara Serritos, Chicago
3rd Place - Evan R. King, Paxton

Finalists

Semi-Finalists

Jasmine Baggett, Chicago
Kade Bashor, Morris
Celine Baticados, Woodridge
Craig Claire, Morris
Katie DeBaillie, Orion
Taylor Follis, Carrollton
Michaela Friedrickson, Carrollton
Danielle Garza, Princeton
Erica Gualandi, Morris
Charles Harner, Joppa
Monique Hazemi, Orland Park
Kathy Jones, Joppa
Kathryn Krieger, Princeton
Robert McGivney, Chicago
Bilal Maniya, Lombard
Elisabeth Mayer, Wilmette
Carley Mickelson, Morris
Jibraan Mohajir, Frankfort
Mahira Musani, Lombard
Mary Kate Noone, Orland Park
Olatunbosun Osiraike, Chicago
Maryam Rehman, Lombard
Ben Reising, Mount Morris
Anna Rohlfing, Dunlap
Bethany Schimetz, Pearl City
Carrie Sha, Naperville
Rachel Tenebaum, Wilmette
Raisa Tolchinsky, Evanston

Level III Winners
1st Place - Emiko Gomez, Chicago
2nd Place - Teresa Cooper, Danville
3rd Place - Kate Pond, Cisne

Finalists

Dean Elghammer, Danville
Sage Haggard, Alton
Colin Hill, Evanston
Aiden Klug, Evanston
Lindsey Krug, Evanston
David Lauschke, Alton
Nick Pellegrini, Danville
Mike Rooney, Chicago
Emmi Schneider, Chicago
Ryan Shyu, Naperville
Varun Shivakumar, Hoffman Estates
Julie Smith, Danville
Tim Stein, Colchester
Shiloh Vonderheide, Strausburg

Semi-Finalists

Andriy Birkus, Chicago
Narissa Bullard, Cisne
Matt Chamberlain, Danville
Noah Hanna, Chicago
Jessica Holmes, Danville
Colby Livengood, Manito
Samantha Nordvall, Peoria
Matthew Olivera, Chicago
Rebeka Pruemer, Strausburg

Our Judges

A big thank you to our judges:

• Betsy Adamowski - Library Director, Itasca Community Library

• Kim Bauer - Director, Decatur's Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and noted Lincoln expert

• Lynda B. Clemmons - Retired English Teacher, Trustee, Harrisburg District Library and Board of Directors, Shawnee Library System

• Kathryn Harris - Library Services Director, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Member, Youth Outreach Committee, Abraham Lincoln Association

• Dave Joens - Director, Illinois State Archives

• Crystal Johnson - Executive Director, Chicago Metro History Education Center

• Jack Klintworth - Public Speaker on Lincoln/Civil War and Volunteer at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum

• Peggy Boyer Long - Former Executive Director, Illinois Issues Magazine, University of Illinois at Springfield and Former Board Member, Illinois Center for the Book

• Barbara Lund - Retired School Librarian

• Anne Muraro-Lacopo - Public Information, Illinois State Board of Education

• Joe Natale - Executive Assistant to the Director for Planning & Outreach, Illinois State Library and Senior Correspondent, Springfield Business Journal

• Karen Ohlmann - School Teacher with an interest in Lincoln studies

• Veronda Pitchford - Vice President of Membership and Communications, Urban Libraries Council and Board of Directors, Illinois Center for the Book

• Jane Running - Former Patents Librarian, Illinois State Library

• Mark Sorenson - Adjunct Professor of History, Milliken University

• Anne Sustik - Former Coordinator for International Programs, Illinois State Board of Education

• Wayne C. Temple - Chief Deputy Director, Illinois State Archives, Illinois Author and noted Lincoln expert

• Timothy P. Townsend - Historian Lincoln Home National Historic Site and Member, Youth Outreach Committee, Abraham Lincoln Association
   

Essays About Lincoln invites students in grades 5 - 12 to:

• read the Gettysburg Address
• be inspired by imagining themselves in Lincoln's place when he wrote the Gettysburg Address
• write their own version of the Gettysburg Address telling what their ideals are for a nation of freedom, democracy and equal opportunity in a concise essay (no more than 300 words) like Lincoln.

The deadline to enter was May 31, 2008. Students entered through their school, library, adolescent groups or individually.

Essays About Lincoln has been endorsed by both the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and the National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.