The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) announced that Scott Button, a student at Signal Mountain High School, is the winner of the 2014 National Peace Essay Contest for Tennessee and has earned a $1,000 academic scholarship. Scott’s essay, “The Foundation for a Strong Democracy: Establishing Peace in the Face of Conflict,” examined how security sector reform contributes to sustainable peace.
Each year, the NPEC scholarship competition challenges students to think about international conflict issues related to the Institute’s work. Around the world, USIP helps to build professional, sustainable and locally-supported security institutions that promote democracy and the rule of law by assisting U.S.
and foreign governments in reform efforts and developing cadres of experts through education and training.