Winning Essays

The first place winner is honored at the Profile in Courage Award ceremony hosted each May by Caroline Kennedy and Senator Edward M. Kennedy at the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Learn about past winners and read their winning essays.

2008 Winning Essay (pdf) by Laura Schapiro, Indian Hill High School, Cincinnati, Ohio.  Subject: Judge Pamela Alexander.

2007 Winning Essay (pdf) by Maia Gottlieb, Baltimore City College High School, Baltimore Maryland.  Subject: Representative Shirley Chisholm

2006 Winning Essay (pdf) by Ben Loffredo, Fieldston School, Bronx, New York. Subject: Senator Mark Hatfield

2005 Winning Essay (pdf) by Allie Comet (Co-Winner), Stuyvesant High School, New York, New York. Subject: Mayor Ivan Allan, Jr.

2005 Winning Essay (pdf) by Kevin Zhou (Co-Winner), Monte Vista High School, Danville, California. Subject: District Attorney Paul V. Gallegos

2004 Winning Essay (pdf) by Avram Sand (Co-Winner), Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy, New York, New York. Subject: School Board President Bernard Confer

2004 Winning Essay (pdf) by Will Schmidley (Co-Winner), Pulaski Academy, Little Rock, Arkansas. Subject: Governor George Ryan

2003 Winning Essay (pdf) by Michael Sloyer, Roslyn High School, Roslyn, New York. Subject: Senator Wayne Morse

2002 Winning Essay (pdf) by Emily Ullman, Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology, Hackensack, New Jersey. Subject: New York State Assemblyman George M. Michaels