PBK Young Scholar Awardees
2024 PBK Young Scholar Award
In April 2024, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 33nd annual spring event. The students submitted the essays that they were most proud of having written, with the support of their wonderful teachers. The students, along with their parents and teachers, were invited to attend.
First Place - Kaitlyn Gil, Fairfield Community High School, “Growing Up in the Great Depression”
Second Place - Mackenzie Haag, Rochester High School, “A Good Gumball”
Third Place - Adam Flack, Effingham High School, “The Effects of Ernest Hemingway on Modern Literature”
Fourth Place - Rebecca Hill, Nokomis High School, “Exploring Religion in Early American Literature”
Honorable Mention - Savannah Barr, Rochester High School, “Strengths Within Struggles”
Honorable Mention - Nathan Legg, Fairfield Community High School, “More Than an Exercise”
The PBK Association wishes congratulations to all of our winners, their families, and their high schools.
Pictured left to right: Mackenzie Haag (2nd place winner), Adam Flack (3rd place winner), Becca Hill (4th place winner)
PBK Young Scholar Awardees
2023 PBK Young Scholar Award
In April 2023, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 32nd annual spring event. The students submitted the essays that they were most proud of having written, with the support of their wonderful teachers. The students, along with their parents and teachers, were invited to attend.
First Place - Abby Ruebush, Normal Community High School, “On America’s Gender Gap: Our Alcoholic Father”
Second Place - Peyton Garrard, St. Elmo Jr./Sr. High School, "The Importance of Agriculture in Our Communities"
Third Place - Siddharth Bhumpelli, Normal Community High School, “The Quest for the Perfect Age”
Fourth Place - Moksha Dave, Normal Community High School, “Differences Between Renditions of William Blake's ‘The Chimney Sweeper’”
Honorable mention - Emily Strohkirch, North Mac High School, “Discovering My Passion”
Honorable mention - Walker Quimby, Rochester High School, “Curiosity at Seven Years Old”
Clockwise: Peyton Garrard (2nd place winner), Emily Strohkirch (honorable mention), Walker Quimby (honorable mention); PBK Alumni Association members Sarah Johnson (Secretary), Jennifer Keller, Frank McCormick, Andy McNitt, Suzie Park (President), Melissa Caldwell (Treasurer), Jennifer Stevens (Vice President)
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2019 PBK Young Scholar Award
For photos of past banquets, go to https://photos.app.goo.gl/WSZ7EvwNsj94ndHS8
In April 2019, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2019 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 31st annual spring banquet. The students submitted their essays and a recommendation from their teacher. The students, along with their parents and teachers, were invited to attend.
Dr. Don Holly, Professor of Anthropology and Faculty Laureate at Eastern Illinois University, was the keynote speaker, and Dr. Kristin Routt, Vice President of the Association, served as the emcee of the banquet.
This year's winners put the finishing touches on the banquet by reading their essays aloud to the audience.
First Place - Sahar Rashid, Mount Vernon Township High School, “The Power of Curiosity”
Second Place - Grace Hance, Oakwood High School, "My Love of Learning and Its Development Throughout the Years"
Third Place - Jaira Hood, Saint Elmo High School, Untitled
Honorable mention - Kaelyn Fedrigon, Saint Elmo High School, "Love of Learning Is the Guide of Life”
Honorable mention - Addison McMahan, PORTA High School, “The Terrifying World of Algebra"
Honorable mention - Cassidy Moss, Saint Elmo High School, "A True Inspiration”
The PBK Association wishes congratulations to all of our winners, their families, and their high schools.
Pictured from left to right are Provost Jay Gatrell, winners Jaira Hood, Sahar Rashid, Grace Hance, Kaelyn Fedrigon, Cassidy Moss, Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman, and PBK President Suzie Park.
2018 PBK Young Scholar Award
- For photos of the banquet, go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/tYL2bWYdxRfsNsBa2
In April 2018, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2018 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 30th annual spring banquet. The students submitted their essays along with a recommendation from their teacher. The students, along with their parents and teachers, were invited to attend.
Provost Jay Gatrell, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Eastern Illinois University, was the keynote speaker, and Dr. Kristin Routt, Vice President of the Association, served as the emcee of the banquet.
This year's winners put the finishing touches on the banquet by reading their essays aloud to the audience.
First Place - Andrew Cook, Oakwood High School, “The Empathy Epiphany”
Second Place - Katelyn Blankenship, Oakwood High School, Untitled
Third Place - Rachel Gruen, Mt. Zion High School, “The Powerful Influence of Curiosity”
Honorable mention - Morgan Cribelar, Martinsville Jr/Sr High School, "Knowledge Is Power”
Honorable mention - Vivian Duquaine, Flora High School, “An Experience with Reading"
The PBK Association wishes congratulations to all of our winners, their families, and their high schools.
Pictured from left to right are winners Morgan Cribelar, Andrew Cook, Vivian Duquaine, Rachel Gruen, PBK President Suzie Park, and Provost Jay Gatrell.
2017 PBK Young Scholar Award
- For photos of the banquet, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/37MCD6dmhP13hyno6
In April 2017, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2017 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 29th annual spring banquet. The students submitted their essays along with a recommendation from their high school principal and a teacher. The students, along with their parents and principals, were invited to attend.
Dr. Mark Hasegawa-Johnson, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, was the keynote speaker, and Dr. Kristin Routt, Vice President of the Association, served as the emcee of the banquet.
This year's winners put the finishing touches on the banquet by reading their essays aloud to the audience.
First Place - Joanna Williams, Morrisonville Sr. High School, “How Studying a Foreign Language Has Given Me a More Global Perspective”
Second Place - Chloe Hodges, Fairfield Community High School, “A Book that Helped Me See Something in a New Way”
Third Place - Maggie McNeely, Flora High School, “How Studying a Foreign Language Has Given Me a More Global Perspective”
Honorable Mention - Noal Hill, Cisne High School, “Uglies: A Book that Helped Me See Something in a New Way”
Honorable Mention - Keely Cardwell, New Berlin High School, “Freedoms Out of Mind”
The PBK Association wishes congratulations to all of our winners, their families, and their high schools.
Pictured from left to right are winners Chloe Hodges, Noah Hill, Maggie McNeely, Joanna Williams, and PBK President Suzie Park.
2016 PBK Young Scholar Award
- For photos of the banquet, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/XPjZfeCJRjsLL7TT6
In April 2016, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2016 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 28th annual spring banquet. The students submitted their essays along with a recommendation from their high school principal and a teacher. The students, along with their parents and principals, were invited to attend.
Dr. Charlotte Pence, Assistant Professor of English, was the keynote speaker, and Dr. Kristin Routt, Vice President of the Association, served as the emcee of the banquet.
This year's winners put the finishing touches on the banquet by reading their essays aloud to the audience.
First Place - Sean MacAllister, Mahomet-Seymour High School, “Views from a Small Town”
Second Place - Isaak Spain, Shelbyville High School, “Do You Think Learning a Second Language Has Given You a More Global Perspective?”
Third Place - Samuel Kauerauf, Glenwood High School, “Thanks for the Tears”
Honorable Mention - Sidney Edwards, Oakland High School, “Uglies: A Book That Helped Me See Me in a New Way”
Honorable Mention - Katie Schell, Oakwood High School, “Seeing Sensitivity in a New Way”
The PBK Association wishes congratulations to all of our winners, their families, and their high schools.
Pictured from left to right are PBK President Suzie Park, with winners Katie Schell, Sean MacAllister, Sidney Edwards, and Isaak Spain.
2015 PBK Young Scholar Award
- For photos of the banquet, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/1MzTtAVieB3EU5uu5
In April 2015, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2015 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 27th annual spring banquet. The students submitted their essays along with a recommendation from their high school principal and a teacher. The students, along with their parents and principals, were invited to attend.
Dr. Richard England, Dean of the Sarah and Jack Pine Honors College, was the keynote speaker, and Dr. Kristin Routt, Vice President of the Association, served as the emcee of the banquet.
This year's winners put the finishing touches on the banquet by reading their essays aloud to the audience.
First Place - Melissa Nathan, Charleston HS – “A Conversation with Jane Goodall”
Second Place - Sarah McQuaid, Blue Ridge HS, Farmer City – “Kira Kira: A Book That Helped Me See Something in a New Way”
Third Place - Sidney Smith, North Clay HS, Louisville – “19 Minutes That Changed Me”
>Honorable Mention - Dylan Bugos, Arcola HS – “Dinner with Edison”
Honorable Mention - Haley Simpson, East Richland HS, Olney – “Markus Zusak's The Book Thief: A Book that Helped Me See Something in a New Way”
The PBK Association wishes congratulations to all of our winners, their families, and their high schools.
Pictured from left to right are PBK President Suzie Park, with winners Melissa Nathan, Haley Simpson, Sidney Smith, Sarah McQuaid and Dylan Bugos.
2014 PBK Young Scholar Award
On April 5, 2014, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2014 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 26th annual spring banquet.
First Place - Michael Eagleton, Springfield High School, "A Lesson from Homer"
Second Place - Molly Jorns, PORTA High School, "A Book that Helped Me See Something in a New Way - Fast Food Nation"
Third Place - Jake Meister, Paris Cooperative High School, "A Book that Helped Me See Something in a New Way - 1984"
Honorable Mentions - Matt Muller, PORTA High School, "My Dinner Conversation with Euclid" and Maddie Flesner, Oakland High School, "Dinner with a Madame"
Pictured from left to right: Winners Molly Jorns, Maddie Flesner, Michael Eagleton, and PBK President Suzie Park
2013 PBK Young Scholar Award
On May 4, 2013, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2013 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 25th annual spring banquet.
First Place: Molly Rodgers, Mt. Vernon Township High School – “A Conversation with Franklin”
Second place: Shaina McQuaid, Blue Ridge High School – “How Studying a Foreign Language Has Given Me a More Global Perspective”
Third place: Rebecca Wheeler, Shelbyville High School - "Les Miserables"
Honorable mentions to Annie Pettit, PORTA Jr-Sr High School – “My Hypothetical Dinner Featuring Doctor Chris Stanley” and Mason Plater, Rushville-Industry High School – “A Book That Helped Me See Something in a New Way”
Pictured from left to right: Third place winner Rebecca Wheeler, PBK President Dr. Suzie Park, and honorable mention Annie Pettit
2012 PBK Young Scholar Award
On April 14, 2012, the PBK Association of East Central Illinois celebrated the winners of the 2012 PBK Young Scholars Award competition at the 24th annual spring banquet.
First Place: Tessa Sheridan, Normal Community High School
Second Place: Victoria Youngs, Mount Carmel High School
Third Place: Jessica Schell, Oakwood High School
Honorable Mentions - Sarah Bradbury, Mattoon High School and Brandon Tran, Normal Community High School
Pictured from left to right: Winners Jessica Schell, Tessa Sheridan, Sarah Bradbury, Victoria Youngs, with PBK president Dr. Suzie Park.
