2009 Missouri NEA/Missouri Bar Law Day Essay Contest finalists announced

The Missouri NEA Public Relations Committee and the Missouri Bar Young Lawyers Section co-sponsored the annual Law Day Essay Contest. Students were asked to respond to the following essay prompt:

First-place winners receive $300 U.S. savings bonds, second-place winners receive $200 U.S. savings bonds, and third-place winners receive $150 U.S. savings bonds from the Missouri Bar.

Certificates of recognition for all students who wrote essays for the contest are available online. Just download the pdf file, and copy the certificate to the paper of your choice. (Law Day Essay Certificates)

Pat Miller, Northwest EA, served as state finalist judging coordinator. The Missouri Bar selected the top three winners in each category. For more information about the Law Day Essay Contest, contact Linda Bell at (573) 634-3202.

State-level winners will receive awards at a banquet in Jefferson City May 8. Following are the state finalists and winners by grade category:

Grades 4-5
Finalists Alex Benedict South Point Elementary, Washington School District Ava Raymond Truman Elementary, Lindbergh School District Gabriel Poteet Truman Elementary, Lindbergh School District Tyler Gerling Zitzman Elementary, Meramec Valley R-III School District Alyssa Rowbottom Zitzman Elementary, Meramec Valley R-III School District Chris Koenig Truman Elementary, Lindbergh School District Ian Ngo Truman Elementary, Lindbergh School District Rebecca Hogrebe Truman Elementary, Lindbergh School District Samantha Hartmann Truman Elementary, Lindbergh School District Heather Belser Westview Elementary, Lee's Summit R-VII School District	Winners First Place Ava Raymond Truman Elementary Lindbergh School District Second Place Alex Benedict South Point Elementary Washington School District Third Place Chris Koenig Truman Elementary Lindbergh School District
Grades 6-8
Finalists Jenny Yao Smithton Middle, Columbia School District Christopher Wilkinson Lawson Middle, Lawson R-XIV School District William Duffy McKinley Classical Jr. Academy, St. Louis School District Kayla Shaeffer Hawthorn Hill, Lee's Summit R-VII School District Joshua Gruver Windsor Middle, Windsor C-1 School District Haley Alden Hamilton Middle, Hamilton R-II School District Courtney Cramer Hamilton Middle, Hamilton R-II School District Erin Esry Hamilton Middle, Hamilton R-II School District Kayla Kennedy Simpson Middle, Fox C-6 School District Alexis Wanner Simpson Middle, Fox C-6 School District	Winners First Place Haley Alden Hamilton Middle Hamilton R-II School District Second Place Joshua Gruver Windsor Middle Windsor C-1 School District Third Place Courtney Cramer Hamilton Middle Hamilton R-II School District
Grades 9-12
Finalists Tyler Fisher Seckman Sr. High, Fox C-6 School District Perry Calloway South Technical High, Special School District Ben Niewoehner Windsor High, Windsor C-1 School District Emily O’Laughlin Pacific High, Meramec Valley R-III School District Tim George Pacific High, Meramec Valley R-III School District Eldina Kunic Northwest Academy, St. Louis School District Linda McCune Windsor High, Windsor C-1 School District Shanna McCoy Pacific High, Meramec Valley R-III School District Courtney Walter Pacific High, Meramec Valley R-III School District Ashley Bullock Pacific High, Meramec Valley R-III School District	Winners First Place Courtney Walter Pacific High Meramec Valley R-III School District Second Place Ben Niewoehner Windsor High Windsor C-1 School District Third Place Shanna McCoy Pacific High Meramec Valley R-III School District