Eighth Graders in Hamilton County Public Schools completed an introduction to the founding documents of the United States. One of those was the “Bill of Rights.”
William J. Brennan, associate Supreme Court judge for 34 years, captured the essence of the Bill of Rights when he wrote, “The Framers of the Bill of Rights did not purport to 'create' rights. Rather, they designed the Bill of Rights to prohibit our Government from infringing rights and liberties presumed to be preexisting.”
Hamilton Flourishing sponsored an essay contest open to all eight graders in the HCDE system to submit essays on “What the Bill of Rights Means to Me.”
Cash prizes were awarded to seven students. (Not every school participated.)
Grand Prize Winner - Logan Dapp of Signal Mountain Middle and High School - $300
Second Prize Winner – Gracie Walters of the Center for Creative Arts - $200
Third Prize Winner – Jack Whitener of East Hamilton Middle and High School - $100
Best in School – Sikeria Johnson of Ivy Academy - $75
Mia Peterson – East Ridge Middle School - $75
Alexis Albee – CSLA - $75
Noah Stevens – Oolteway Middle School - $75
The cash prizes and a certificate will be given Thursday at the schools.
“We are delighted that these young people really gave thought to the Bill of Rights and applied one of them to their own lives and wrote why it was important to them. This really helps students internalize these essential, civic principles”, said Doug Daugherty, president of Hamilton Flourishing, a non-profit in Chattanooga promoting the civic health of the entire community.
Essays will be available for reading at www.hamiltonflourishing.org.