Where the Past Comes to Life
First Essay Contest
Mara Palmieri
Sacramento, California
Congratulations to Mara Palmieri for winning the East Rock Films First Essay Contest!
In her essay “The Diaries of Two Young Girls,” she writes about how she draws inspiration from the teenage writer Anne Frank (1929-1945). Mara lives in Sacramento, California and recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2022, she will enter Portland State University’s Book Publishing Program. She will use the $500 scholarship award toward her upcoming studies.
We congratulate all those who submitted essays! It was a highly competitive field, as we received about 120 written or video essays from students around the country. We plan to hold this contest every year. In addition to our winner, we selected five Honorable Mentions – these excellent essays also deserve recognition. Three are written and two are video essays. You can view them in the section below.
Honorable Mentions
Ava Sullivan
Bossier City, Louisiana
Ava Sullivan created a video essay on the actress and screenwriter Carrie Fisher (1956-2016). Ava is a senior at Parkway High School in Bossier City, Louisiana. Her intended major is Music Education.
Erica Mitchell
Charlotte, North Carolina
Erica Mitchell writes about the British author William Golding (1911-1993). Erica is a senior at Hopewell High School and resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her intended major is film studies and screenwriting.
Abigail Sowinski
Toledo, Ohio
Abigail Sowinski created a video essay about the poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). Abigail is a freshman at the University of Toledo in Ohio and is she from Toledo, Ohio. Her studies include Vocal Performance.
Gwenlyn Corrie
Brentwood, California
Gwenlyn Corrie writes about the actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000) in her essay “The Influence of Hedy Lamarr.” Gwenlyn is a senior at Liberty High School and resides in Brentwood, California.
Jemma Stollberg
Kaneohe, Hawaii
Jemma Stollberg writes about the English King Henry VII (1457-1509) in her essay “Henry VII: Underappreciated Icon.” Jemma is a senior in high school at St. Andrew Priory in Honolulu, Hawaii. She resides in Kaneohe, Hawaii.
Contest Judges
There were two judges for this year’s essay contest:
Alfred Robert Hogan is a journalist, media historian, and environmental activist.
Andrew D. Kaplan, Ph.D. is a writer-editor for the federal government, adjunct professor of communication, and documentary filmmaker.
Feeling inspired?
Join our current essay contest and get the chance to receive a scholarship of $500 (US).
Learn how you can apply by following the link below.