St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine National Shrine Essay Contest Results Announced

The Saint Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine Essay Program committee members reviewed the judges’ results for the 2020 essay competition.  Committee members Katherine Bacalis; Renee Gahagan; and, Dr. Tony Tsitos congratulate Monty Singer of Manchester, Vermont, whose essay on Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe achieved the highest ranking.  He is the winner of the $1,000 prize provided by the Kathie D’Anna Charitable Trust.

Honorable mention is made of the essays by Andreas Lolis of Westport, CT, and Julius Bourodimos of Somerset, NJ.  All three of these top essays will be published in the “Pappas Post” website online.

A total of 32 teenagers, the most ever to participate, submitted historical essays detailing the contributions of one of six 19th century American Philhellenes.  Congressman Daniel Webster, Congressman Henry Clay, George Jarvis, Capt. Jonathan Miller, William Townshend Washington and Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe all contributed significantly to American support for Greece’s War of Independence.  

Katherine Bacalis noted her delight “to have this many people from all over the United States to have read this and participated.”  Renee Gahagan thanked His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos for “expanding what was possible with the Essay Contest.”  Dr. Tsitos was impressed with the caliber of essays and the insights the judges offered. 

A Certificate of Participation signed by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Hierarchal Proistamenos of St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine will be sent to all participants.  Special thanks to the judges of this year’s essay contest: Dr. Timothy Johnson (Professor, Flagler College, St. Augustine, Florida), Dr. Tom Papademetriou (Professor, Stockton University, New Jersey), and Carmela L. Tardo, M.D. (Professor, Pediatric Neurology, University of Florida Health, Jacksonville, Florida).