San Francisco Civil War Round Table
Sesquicentennial Essay Contest Results
May 2011
To mark the sesquicentennial of the outbreak of the Civil War, the SFCWRT announced an essay
contest for students in the San Francisco school system. Prizes of $500 each were offered for the
best essays from a Middle School student and a High School student. By the May 13th deadline,
forty essays had been received and the quality was so high that it was decided to award runner up
prizes also. In addition, thanks to Bob Bowen, the National Park Service kindly donated a
candlelight tour of Fort Point for each of the two first place winners and twenty of their friends.
The three judges, Wayne Padgett, Bob Bowen, and Patrick Doyle, each read all forty entries
and held numerous lengthy discussions in order to arrive at the final choices.
Special thanks is due to Julio Sanchez, Social Studies Content Specialist at the San Francisco
Unified School District, who helped design the contest and was the primary interface with history
teachers throughout the city.
Special praise is due also to Mr. Amien Lau, whose students at Marina Middle School submitted
an astounding twenty essays.
For full details of the contest rules, etc. click here.
To read an essay, click on the student's name.
Entries From Middle Schools (8th Grade):
Marina 20
SF Community School 5
A.P. Giannini 3
Everett 2
Aptos 1
James Lick 1
Winner ($500): Cuc Phan, Aptos Middle School, Teacher: Ms. Aleta Oryall
1st Runner up ($100): Jomar Villagracia, SF Community School, Teacher: Ms. Ellena Weldon
2nd Runner up ($50): Julian Greenhill, James Lick Middle School, Teacher: Ms. Ruth Holsen
Entries from High Schools (11th Grade):
Lowell 6
Galileo 2
Winner ($500): Terri Ha, Lowell High School, Teacher: Mr. Steve Schmidt
1st Runner up ($100): Jasmine Woo, Galileo High School, Teacher: Ms. Christina Tang
2nd Runner up ($50): Paige Cheung, Lowell High School, Teacher: Mr. Steve Schmidt
Sesquicentennial Essay Contest Results
May 2011
To mark the sesquicentennial of the outbreak of the Civil War, the SFCWRT announced an essay
contest for students in the San Francisco school system. Prizes of $500 each were offered for the
best essays from a Middle School student and a High School student. By the May 13th deadline,
forty essays had been received and the quality was so high that it was decided to award runner up
prizes also. In addition, thanks to Bob Bowen, the National Park Service kindly donated a
candlelight tour of Fort Point for each of the two first place winners and twenty of their friends.
The three judges, Wayne Padgett, Bob Bowen, and Patrick Doyle, each read all forty entries
and held numerous lengthy discussions in order to arrive at the final choices.
Special thanks is due to Julio Sanchez, Social Studies Content Specialist at the San Francisco
Unified School District, who helped design the contest and was the primary interface with history
teachers throughout the city.
Special praise is due also to Mr. Amien Lau, whose students at Marina Middle School submitted
an astounding twenty essays.
For full details of the contest rules, etc. click here.
To read an essay, click on the student's name.
Entries From Middle Schools (8th Grade):
Marina 20
SF Community School 5
A.P. Giannini 3
Everett 2
Aptos 1
James Lick 1
Winner ($500): Cuc Phan, Aptos Middle School, Teacher: Ms. Aleta Oryall
1st Runner up ($100): Jomar Villagracia, SF Community School, Teacher: Ms. Ellena Weldon
2nd Runner up ($50): Julian Greenhill, James Lick Middle School, Teacher: Ms. Ruth Holsen
Entries from High Schools (11th Grade):
Lowell 6
Galileo 2
Winner ($500): Terri Ha, Lowell High School, Teacher: Mr. Steve Schmidt
1st Runner up ($100): Jasmine Woo, Galileo High School, Teacher: Ms. Christina Tang
2nd Runner up ($50): Paige Cheung, Lowell High School, Teacher: Mr. Steve Schmidt
Winner: Cuc Phan
Aptos Middle School
Presenter: Patrick Doyle
Aptos Middle School
Presenter: Patrick Doyle
Winner: Terri Ha
Lowell High School
Presenter: Bob Bowen
Lowell High School
Presenter: Bob Bowen
1st runner up: Jomar Villagracia
SF Community School
Presenter: Patrick Doyle
SF Community School
Presenter: Patrick Doyle
2nd runner up: Julian Greenhill
James Lick Middle School
Presenter: Patrick Doyle
James Lick Middle School
Presenter: Patrick Doyle
2nd runner up: Paige Cheung
Lowell High School
Presenter: Wayne Padgett
Lowell High School
Presenter: Wayne Padgett
1st runner up: Jasmine Woo
Galileo High School
Teacher: Ms. Christina Tang
Galileo High School
Teacher: Ms. Christina Tang