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Student Scholarship Contest Recipients
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through student voices on civil discourse and liberty.
Meet the winners
We received outstanding entries from students across the country. Congratulations to our scholarship recipients for their exceptional essays on civil discourse and the principles of liberty.
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First place winner
Pierce Kaeferle
Pierce Kaeferle, class of 2028 at Gateway Regional High School in New Jersey, balances three sports and numerous clubs alongside rigorous AP coursework. He plans to attend the United States Naval Academy as a Naval Architect. His Sphere alumni teacher, Amanda Warrington, has taught United States History at Gateway for eleven years.
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Second place winner
Kilian Byrnes
Kilian Byrnes is a freshman from Florida involved in competitive swimming, golf, and debate. She is committed to using her pursuit of excellence to serve others and make a meaningful impact in her community. Her Sphere alumni teacher, Mark Bruno, teaches Middle Social Studies at St. James Cathedral School in Orlando and is a Sphere Alumni Fellow.
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Honorable mention
Anton Max Milevsky
Anton Max Milevsky is a junior at West Campus High School in California, currently enrolled in three AP classes while developing his writing skills through school journalism. He aspires to a career in Urban Planning with deep interests in democracy, the environment, and economic equality. His Sphere alumni teacher, Janet Mann, is a 34‐year education veteran and fellow with both iCivics and the California Global Education Project.
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Honorable mention
Luke McKenna
Luke McKenna is a junior at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona, planning to pursue STEM studies with a passion for how emerging technologies can shape the future. His Sphere alumni teacher, Kelly Guffey, has taught Government and Economics for 22 years and is passionate about civil discourse and viewpoint diversity.
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Honorable mention
Renee Oh
Renee Oh is a senior at Osseo Senior High School in Minnesota — a violinist in the Minnesota All‐State Orchestra, Speech Team Captain, and National Scholastic award‐winning digital artist. She plans to major in philosophy and pursue policymaking. Her Sphere alumni teacher, Megan Thompson, teaches social studies and dual enrollment courses at Osseo, and consults with the National Constitution Center and Sphere Education Initiatives.”
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Honorable mention
Jill Patel
Jill Patel is a junior at Fred J. Page High School in Tennessee, passionate about politics and its effect on community and society. Outside the classroom, she enjoys tennis and piano. Her Sphere alumni teacher, Ansley Cribbs, teaches APUSH at Page High School with 8 years of experience and was awarded a Sphere Fellowship in 2024.
About the Contest
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Sphere Education Initiatives held a scholarship contest for students of alumni in our educator network. Students explored how civil discourse about the Enlightenment belief that “mankind should be respected” connects to liberty and democratic participation today.
Essay Prompt
In the Declaration of Independence, authors Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston brought to bear the influence of Enlightenment philosophies on fostering strong democracies. Before the famous “We hold these truths” claim, the authors framed their intent to separate from the British monarchy in the following statement:
“WHEN in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.”
How does civil discourse uphold the Enlightenment belief that “mankind” should be respected, and that individuals have the liberty to think freely and express their opinions in a democratic society? What are the challenges and opportunities that might be present?