SCCS students are essay winners

Two Saint Cecilia Catholic School eighth-graders — Marlenne Ramirez and Myla Nover-Estes — submitted winning compositions to the recent Law Day Essay Contest.

Sponsored by the American Bar Association, Law Day has been recognized on the first Friday of May since the Eisenhower Administration. Each year, the ABA picks a theme for the annual essay contest. This year, the theme was “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society.”

The Kitsap County Bar Association has reportedly conducted a local Law Day Essay Contest since 1982. Essay topics are written based upon the ABA theme. Student essays were read anonymously by a group of lawyers and judge volunteers.

“Since I took over the Essay Contest five years ago, St. Cecilia has had at least one winner each year,” said Tom Weaver, former president of the Kitsap County Bar Association. “I have heard the evaluators comment on the consistent quality of essays received from St. Cecilia Catholic School.”

Both Marlenne and Myla attended the Law Day Ceremony at the Kitsap Board of Commissioner Chambers on May, along with Saint Cecilia Catholic School teacher Amy Lee-Despard, to receive their awards.

Myla won second place and a $200 gift card, and Marlenne won third place and a $150 gift card.

Both were recognized during the ceremony and a portion of their winning essay was read aloud by a local judge.

“Winning essays are the result of daily writing and exceptional teaching over time,” said St. Cecilia Principal Susan Kilbane. “This year, students are engaged in a comprehensive Civil Rights unit which integrates reading, writing, social studies and the fine arts. Class discussion and written reflection on a variety of novels relating to our country’s history provide students multiple opportunities to think critically and creatively.”