First Place
Peyton Neely, Shawnee

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Second Place
Selah Espinoza, Pryor

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First Place
Clayton Rohla, Roff

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Second Place
Jack Kauffman, Tulsa

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First Place
Luke Kauffman, Tulsa

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Second Place
Ava Crawford, Pryor

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Honorable Mention
Rylee Humphries, Pryor

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First Place
Elizabeth Haynie, Oklahoma City

The Three Branches of Government are the Legislative branch, Judicial branch, and Executive branch. The Legislative writes the law, the Judicial interprets the law, and the Executive enforces the law. The branches are governed by checks and balances. For example, the Executive branch will check and balance the Legislative branch by vetoing bills passed by the Legislature. And the Legislative branch (if the President's actions are unconstitutional) can impeach the President and take the President out of office. The Judicial Branch makes sure the Executive Branch and Legislative Branch are doing things that are constitutional. This process is called judicial review. Read the full essay

Second Place
Hollie Hollister, Pryor

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Honorable Mentions
Mackenzie Brown, Yukon

Our Government
If you didn't know, our government has three branches: The legislative, the executive, and the judicial. You may be wondering why it has three different parts. There are many reasons why, but the first one that comes to my mind is that we have three branches of government to keep the balance of power. Read the full essay

First Place
Landan Scheihing, Skiatook

How To Be A Responsible Citizen
We all need to be responsible American citizens, but it is not always an easy task. You have to be responsible because our country depends on it. Some ways that you can be a responsible citizen is by exercising your right to vote, follow and obey the laws of our government, and respect others. Read the full essay

Second Place
Tucker Ward, Coalgate

Citizenship is Important for Everyone
Many citizens of the United States would view paying taxes, respecting the rights and beliefs of others, and giving back to their communities as responsibilities and might even complain about taking part in these things. I view these things as privileges. So many other countries do not have these responsibilities. Therefore, they do not have the privileges we do as US citizens. These things are part of being a good citizen and we should all take part in these and do it because it is for the greater good of the United States and all of its citizens. Read the full essay

Honorable Mention
Evan Forsman, Yukon

Citizens Responsibilities
Why is it important to fulfill our responsibilities as citizens? We have lots of responsibilities as citizens of the United States. Responsibilities can vary from getting your room clean to paying your bills. There are a lot of responsibilities that most of us get done on a daily basis like doing the dishes, making dinner, cleaning your room, and going to work or school. No matter how big or small it is, everyone has responsibilities to take care of. Completing our responsibilities can help improve the cities and the country we live in. Read the full essay

First Place
Hannah Kauffman, Tulsa

ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASEAN is a regional organization which has built a strong sense of community between nations of great diversity. It was founded on August 8, 1967, by five original countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. These small Southeastern Asian countries were motivated to unite under a common cause: the fear of communism. As they watched surrounding countries being swallowed up by communism, they had many reasons to fear the same fate. They were small, relatively poor countries who were already being targeted by the Communist party. They had experienced several terrorist attacks and even an attempted coup from the Communist party. Working together would give them a much better chance of resisting the attacks. Read the full essay

Second Place
Bella Bridgeman, Clinton

“NATO: One of the World’s Greatest Alliances”
North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance between countries in Europe and North America. This organization consists of thirty countries which includes Great Britain, the United States, and Canada. It was created in 1949 after the Second World War; its purpose was to help secure peace in Europe. Since NATO has been founded, it has become the protector of the free world, and NATO is a very active organization. Currently they are supporting Ukraine during their war with Russia, and support for Ukraine has led the world into what seems to be the second coming of a Cold War. Read the full essay

First Place
Ledesli Armendariz, Pauls Valley

Reconstruction Era: Oklahoma Tribes
The Reconstruction Era was an attempt to unify a very broken nation. After president Abraham Lincoln died, plans for Reconstruction plummeted. Reconstruction in the south was hard enough, but being a part of a tribe in Oklahoma was harder. When Andrew Johnson took over as president he abandoned his predecessor's plans for reconstruction. Some Oklahoma tribes flourished and others did not. The effects of the reconstruction period would shape the Southern United States to this very day. Read the full essay

Second Place
Mattison Thornburg, Mounds

Civility
As we get older, we are taught to be polite and kind.
And respect each other
We're taught to be respectful
And share kind words with others
That's something Congress should learn to do as well
Learn to not hate and try to forgive
Read the full poem

First Place
Mary Kauffman, Tulsa

Jury Service in the United States
The penultimate episode of the novel Alice in Wonderland depicts a scene of chaos and confusion— in a courtroom. The Knave of Hearts is on trial for stealing the Queen’s tarts, and throughout the trial, the Queen continually tries to have him beheaded before he is given a verdict. For spectators like Alice, who have no say in the trial and are forced to watch the Queen maneuvering the trial to her advantage, the process seems bewildering and unjust. Though no real trial could probably ever achieve the degree of absurdity and senselessness displayed in that trial, any judicial system in which those in power always seem to manipulate the results in their favor without the agreement of the populace can appear unjust and arbitrary. To prevent such systems, various civilizations have developed jury systems, where selected citizens are called upon to decide the verdicts of court cases. Read the full essay

First Place
Jo Shaw, Tulsa

The National School Lunch Program: Fighting Child Hunger
The childhood hunger epidemic is something that has plagued our nation since its formation, and it is not something that will go away on its own. Statistics from a Mashable article say: sixteen million American kids struggle with hunger each year. Despite our nation’s constant efforts to establish proper home environments for children, one in seven kids still live in homes where they will not have access to an adequate diet. In light of these issues, our government has begun taking steps towards providing accessible meals to children in their school environments, as well as in residential child care institutions. By launching programs like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), our government hopes to fight the appalling starvation rates in children and distribute meals through school systems where home environments are simply unable to provide. It is essential that we, U.S. citizens, understand the importance of the NSLP and how we can work to fight this plague. Read the full essay

Honorable Mention
Eesha Katta, Lawton

John Lewis: Changing Lives for the Better
Some hurts only last a while, but others, seem to last forever. I still remember the hurt I suffered in third grade when, for perhaps the first time, I endured what I now would call a type of cultural bias. My mom, an immigrant from India, prepared a special lunch for me--Indian dosa and chutney. When I sat at the cafeteria table, I was excited to show all my friends what Indian food looked like. Almost immediately, a girl named Jacey killed that excitement when, with a dismissive look, she said my lunch looked disgusting, and sneeringly suggested I should eat normal American food. At that moment--and to be honest, even now-- I didn’t feel civil to Jacey, didn’t want to collaborate with her, or have anything to do with her. That’s why I find it amazing to learn the story of John Lewis, the U.S. Representative of Georgia who died on July 17, 2020. Read the full essay

First Place
Tessa Summerlin, Jenks

Ford Motor Company: The Power of Collaboration
When you think of Ford Motor Company, what comes to mind? If I had to guess, the first thing that pops into your head is an image of a Ford truck or SUV. If you didn't think of a vehicle, you probably thought of the logo. What you probably didn't think about is the impactful history of the company itself. Ford's incredible innovations and accomplishments most likely weren't at the top of your mind. You probably didn't think of Ford's exceedingly generous contributions to the Allied powers in World War II, either. Clearly, Ford is much more than what meets the eye. Despite being a generic, well-known car company, Ford Motor has a surprisingly rich history filled with achievements that set the standard for other automotive companies. Read the full essay

Second Place
Addison Vance, Salina

Unspoken Rules
When you wake up in the morning, you aren't given a list of everything you must do and every word you have to say. You have what's called, "free will." This is the very thing that fuels democracy, and the very thing that threatens it. Every law or behavior woven into society, you could simply ignore. Sure, you would face repercussions, but that is a decision that is all yours to make. It's a powerful choice, and one that should be made responsively. A top priority for all Americans should be the protection of the future of our country by ensuring the health and education of our nation's children. Another important thing that is relatively simple is that we, as a society, could shift the focus back to the concept of respect; just be respectful. It might be harder than you think, but it's important to try. Read the full essay

First Place
Avianna Soto, Cache

The Successful Career and Life of Myrlie Evers-Williams
From the start of her career to the end, Myrlie Evers-Williams was a brilliant woman who fought for racial equality. As soon as she graduated from college, she wanted to hep in the world of social work. Myrlie and her husband worked with the NAACP to investigate racial attacks on African-Americans. Together they took a risky job most people would not take. This job led them to death threats from white supremacists. This is just a prime example of Myrlie making sacrifices of her life for everyone’s equality. Myrlie Evers-Wiliams was a powerful woman during the civil rights movement, using civics, civility and collaboration to help others. Read the full essay

Second Place
Jillian Shultz, Coweta

Wilma Mankiller: Fighting for Feminism and the Cherokee Nation
When thinking of the Civil Rights movement, most people think of the plight of African Americans in the 1960s but another group that has had to fight for equal rights are the Native Americans. Wilma Mankiller, during her time as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, demonstrated the characteristics of civics, civility, and collaboration by advocating for the improvement of the way of life for her people with the help of the United States government. Read the full essay

Honorable Mention
Nehemiah Auxer, Tulsa

Civility
I am a different race that’s not hard to see
Equality seems normal until I get stung like a bee
From the jokes I hear from peers
Racist jokes put me to tears
This is not the civility I remember being created
I am just a person whose life has been raided
Does equality even exist anymore
Nobody speaking the truth from their heart’s core
I am human just like the rest of you
I'm tired of being called Jackie Chan or Kim Jung Un
Everyday my feelings get hurt like a sting from a bee
Remember, just cause I’m Asian doesn't mean I can’t see
Read the full poem

Honorable Mention
AdyLynn, Anderson, Lawton

As a seven-year-old living in Florence Al, I was certainly not socially, culturally, or politically aware. What I was aware of was fun, and that's why I was eager to march in the annual gay pride parade. I did not know what “gay” meant, nor did I really know what “pride” meant. What I did know was that my mom and her very close “friend” were going to let me carry the rainbow flag and march near the head of the parade. We had hardly reached the first corner on the parade route on that beautiful June day when a reality I did not understand, but absolutely did not like, confronted me for the first time. I wonder what corner it was that Pauli Murray came to in her life that pushed her to become one of the most indispensable influencers in the LGBTQ rights, women's rights, and African-American rights arenas of the American Civil Rights movements. That we both turned our comers is a similarity I truly treasure. Read the full essay

First Place
Heidi Huseman, Cushing

The Mother
When talking about the Civil Rights Movement, names like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks come to mind. While these three leaders are some of the most notable leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, we know that thousands of others contributed to the movement that we haven't heard of in our textbooks. Clara Luper, for example, was a strong activist in Oklahoma that spread awareness of the fight for civil rights nationwide. Read the full essay 

Second Place
Anya Thompson, Edmond

Justice for All Isn't Specific Enough
What does it mean to be American in a land that has historically wronged you? What does it feel like to create deals with the devil? What does it feel like to be mitigated by a stereotype created by the ignorant? Well, the best individuals to ask are the ones who have dealt with it for the longest on United States soil: Native Americans. The first treaty between the indigenous people and white settlers was in 1778; the Continental Congress made a treaty with the Lenape (Delaware) (NLM). This set precedent for other tribes to deal with the federal government through formal treaties. Read the full essay

Honorable Mention
Nicholas Sewell, Pawnee

Many People, One Voice
On December 16, 1773, colonists in Boston, Massachusetts emptied over three hundred chests of tea into Boston Harbor. On December 5, 1955, African Americans began a boycott of Montgomery buses to protest segregation. On October 21, 1967, protesters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to protest the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. Collective behavior has been at the core of United States democracy from its beginning to the present, and it will always be a fundamental principle of democracy. Collective behavior is so ingrained in all the systems of the United States government and society that it can often be forgotten how much of an effect it has. The many forms collective behavior takes determine almost every aspect of a democratic society, and they are critical to preserving democracy. Read the full essay