Local Students Win for Writing From Their Heart About Their Values

   (May 2010) Nine students were selected as contest winners in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County for outstanding essays written and submitted to The Laws of Life Essay Contest, a contest which encourages students to reflect and write about the values they believe will help them live successful and productive lives. Learning for Life (LFL), a program through the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) provided the contest opportunity to its school partners in central Maryland. The contest was sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation, creator of the contest. 
   The contest’s theme supports LFL’s practice of promoting character education and helping students achieve their full potential. Over 40 students participated in the contest in second through twelfth grades from Montebello Elementary Middle, Franklin Square Elementary, Hilltop Elementary, South River High School and Severna Park High School. There was a first, second and third place winner from each school level. Montebello Elementary/ Middle school took the lead in essay entries with a total of 22.
   The Elementary School level winners are: First place, Saraya Lee, Franklin Square Elementary, second place, Cayla Paige, Hilltop Elementary, and third place, Teionna Clayborne, Montebello Elementary/ Middle. The Middle School level winners are: first place, Cameron Potts, second place, Shemar Ali, and third place, Casey Jones, all winners from Montebello Elementary/ Middle School.  The High School level winners are: first place, Colin Heil, second place, Carolyn Falvey and third place, Eva Cohn all from Severna Park High. Each winner received a framed certificate as well as a monetary prize to put towards future education.
   Pictured from Left to Right Back Row: Mark Bittle (LFL Chairman), Jenna Welle (LFL Executive), Casey Jones, Saraya Lee, Cameron Potts, Shemar Ali, Colin Heil, Carolyn Falvey, Eva Cohn, and Ron Williams (writer for the Baltimore Times) Front Row: Cayla Paige and Teionna Clayborne
   The Laws of Life Essay Contest was first created in 1987 by Sir John Templeton and has spread community by community across the United States and to more than 30 countries. In each community, the contest is locally funded and organized. A great variety of individuals, service clubs, businesses, community organizations, foundations, and colleges have sponsored and organized the contest in their schools because they believe that the contest is a powerful way to make a positive and lasting impact in their community. For more information contact Jenna Welle, JWelle@BaltimoreBSA.org, 443-573-2557