Dallas, TX (March 4, 2016) – Three teens took home $9,000 in scholarships from Debate Central’s Young Patriots Essay Contest, sponsored by NCPA and Copart, with their essays on the relationship between government surveillance and the 4th amendment.
The Young Patriots Essay Contest is designed to challenge middle and high school students to creatively engage with public policy and current events through the art of writing. Of the over 900 applicants, Evan Fitchett of Chesterfield, Virginia, Paige Murrell of Plainfield, Indiana, and Danielle Yampolsky wrote essays worthy of first, second, and third place.
- Fitchett, an 11th grader at Maggie L. walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies, took first place and was awarded a $5,000 scholarship. His essay, “The War on Terror vs. the 4th Amendment,” can be found at: http://www.ncpathinktank.org/pdfs/Evan%20Fitchett.pdf
- Murrell, a 12th grader at Four Oaks Academy, took second place and was awarded a $2,500 scholarship. Her essay, “Suspicion is Not a Virtue: Mass Surveillance and Global Terrorism,” can be found at: http://www.ncpathinktank.org/pdfs/Paige%20Murrell.pdf
- Yampolsky, a 12th grader at William Penn Charter School, took third place and was awarded a $1,500 scholarship. Her essay, “False Sense of Security,” can be found at: http://www.ncpathinktank.org/pdfs/Danielle%20Yampolsky.pdf
“Copart is a proud sponsor of the Young Patriots Essay Contest, a program that helps young people become acquainted with public policy and to learn to research and voice their opinions on critical issues,” said Copart CEO Jay Adair, who congratulated the winners in a video.“On behalf of Copart and the NCPA, congratulations to all the winners!”
The NCPA’s Debate Central aims to provide free, high-quality resources to high school debate students. For more information, please visit http://www.debate-central.org.