Local 8th-grade writers take top honors in Hildene essay contest
April 14, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti
Three local middle school writers won top honors in an annual statewide essay contest that took on the controversial topic of book banning recently.
The Hildene Lincoln Essay Competition received 198 submissions this year. First, second, and third-place winners were chosen from each of four regions of Vermont and an additional four honorable mentions were selected from the combined pool of finalists.
Part of Hildene’s mission is to encourage civil civic discourse, especially around difficult subjects. This year’s competition challenged students to consider the timely topic of censorship and book banning. Across the U.S., challenges to books have increased in recent years with people attempting to remove or restrict access to books based on their content and subject matter.
Participants were asked to choose a book from a list of challenged books and read it if they had not already done so.
“Imagine that there is a request to remove this book from your local public library, school library, or 8th-grade classroom and that you as a student have been asked to give your opinion about how the school or library should respond,” the contest prompt instructs.
“First, identify at least one reason why someone might challenge this book. Second, state what action(s) you think the school or library should take in response to the challenge. Third, give two distinct, well-explained reasons why this is an appropriate response. Finally, describe what you think the potential long-term impacts of your recommendation would be if it were implemented.”
With those instructions, students chose their controversial titles and went to work.
Local students were judged in Region One of the competition which included entries from students in Grand Isle, Franklin, Orleans, Essex, Lamoille, Caledonia and Washington Counties.
The first-place $500 prize winner was Harwood Union Middle School eighth-grader Harmony Belle Devoe who chose the book “Finding Junie Kim,” by Ellen Oh. Devoe advocated for keeping the book on the library shelf because Vermont needs more books that raise awareness about racism and that help Asian-American students like her feel represented.
"Books centering on diversity have a special place in my heart," Devoe wrote. "I'm seldom sure where I fit in, but books are a way to enter a whole new world of imagination, and I tend to choose books I feel culturally connected to. If books like ‘Finding Junie Kim’ were taken out of my library, I'd feel even more marginalized."
Devoe worked with teacher Jon Potts on the entry.
In second place winning a $400 prize in the same region category was Harwood Middle School eighth-grader Emma Aither. Instead of banning the book “Ghost Boys,” by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Aither proposed that the town or library should host community conversations with guest speakers to increase awareness about racism and hate.
This is an important book, Aither wrote, "about the injustices happening in our world right now. It is a good example of how things are and how much we need to improve."
Aither’s teacher is Sarah Ibson.
In third place taking home a $300 prize was Crossett Brook Middle School eighth-grader
James Michelle Shenk of Waterbury who wrote about the critical need to keep books like “Melissa,” by Alex Gino. Having such titles accessible gives students the opportunity to see transgender representation in literature and to prompt discussion.
"In a world that seems intent on erasing anyone who doesn't fit its definition of perfect," Shenk wrote, ‘Melissa’ is something different in children's literature, showing that everything isn't perfect, and that's okay."
Shenk’s teacher is Sarah Peruzzi.