Wisconsin students honored for highlighting First Amendment’s importance
A total of 18 Wisconsin high school and middle school students have been recognized by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation for their submissions to the 2024 Wisconsin Civics Games Editorial Writing and Cartoon Contest.
The contest asked Wisconsin youth to submit editorials or cartoons expressing their thoughts on the First Amendment.
Cadence Breitbach, a Poynette High School junior from Poynette, captured top honors among high school students in the writing competition for her essay about the practices of other countries and her free ability to write and speak about what she wants to as a U.S. Citizen. (See page 2 for her essay.)
“To me, the right to say what I want, to write what I want, was intrinsic. I was not taught at every turn that I had to censor myself or that I couldn’t criticize or praise my system of government as I wished. But the people in those countries? They were. It made me come to a realization,” Breitbach wrote. “If I saw or heard something that I thought was wrong, I was entitled to speak about it in any manner I wished. I could go out and peacefully protest the issue all day if I wanted,” Breitbach added. “I could go to any place of worship, but it wasn’t a requirement. In one amendment, I was granted immeasurable freedoms that I never fully understood the significance of. I took these freedoms for granted.” Former La Crosse Tribune publisher Rusty Cunningham, a WNAFoundationboardmemberandcontestjudge,applauded the thoughts of the students in the essay contest.
“I was truly impressed by the passion for supporting the First Amendment,” Cunningham said. “These young people clearly understand why the principle is so vital for democracy.”
Also winning honors among high school students were:
• Second place – Felix Bishop – Clark Street Community School, Middleton – 11th grade
• Third place – Jorja Stockton – Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Oshkosh – 12th grade
• Honorable mention – Emily Montes Laguna – Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee, Milwaukee – 12th grade
• Honorable mention – Olivia Regan – Poynette High School, Poynette – 12th grade Middle school students earning top honors included:
• First place – Nicolas Giang – Waunakee Community Middle School, Waunakee – eighth grade
• Second place – Hailey Serbiak-Severson – East Troy Middle School, Burlington – sixth grade
• Third place – Matias Giang – Waunakee Community Middle School, Waunakee – eighth grade Cartoon contest A total of 10 winners were chosen from 23 entries in the cartoon contest. Student winners in the 2024 Civics Games Cartoon Contest included: High school winners (14 entries):
• First place: Ian Slager, Lake Mills High School, 12th grade. “This comic draws a comparison of historical and modern day instances where free speech isn’t necessarily free,” wrote high school winner Ian Slater from Lake Mills High School. (See page 2 for his cartoon.)
• Second place: Daniel Beaupre, West DePere High School, 12th grade.
• Third place: Ruby Writt, Middleton High School, 10th grade.
• Honorable mention 1: Cam Nelson, Marshfield High School, 11th grade.
• Honorable mention 2: Caden Marchik, Oconomowoc High School, 12th grade.
Middle school winners (chosen from nine entries) included:
• First place: Isaac Arneson, Gilman Middle School, seventh grade.
• Second place: Willow Fedenia-Beste, University Lake School, eighth grade.
• Third place: Jack Ferrell, University Lake School, seventh grade. “I really think that it is cool that these types of things are accessible to us, to have something to do in our free time. I love the idea, and am happy to participate :),” middle school cartoon third place award winner Jack Ferrell from University Lake School wrote about his entry.
• Honorable mention 1: Elias Fournier, Fish Creek Middle School, sixth grade.
• Honorable mention 2: Anneliese Ramirez, New Glarus Middle School, seventh grade.
First-place winners will receive $500, second-place winners will receive $250, third-place winners will receive $100 and honorable mention recipients will receive $50. Winning entries also will be published by newspapers across the state.
Students from 25 schools across the state participated in this year’s contests. Entries were judged on adherence to the theme, quality of writing or artwork, originality and proper use of grammar, spelling and punctuation. The 25 winners will receive prizes totaling $3,600. The awards are funded by the University of Wisconsin System.
Acomplete list of winners and their entries can be viewed at wisconsincivicsgames.com.
The contest is part of the WNA Foundation’s response to declining civics education and participation in the democratic process. Later this year, the nonprofit will host the third Wisconsin Civics Games, during which high school students compete to answer civics-related questions in head-to-head matches. The preliminary regional competitions will be held virtually on April 9-10, with the top 12 teams advancing to the state finals on May 2 at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Members of the winning team will each be awarded $2,000 toward tuition to a Wisconsin college or university of their choice.
Teachers and students interested in participating in the Games can sign up online at bit.ly/wicivicsgames through March 1.
Launched by the WNA Foundation in 2018, the 2024 Wisconsin Civics Games featured 18 competing teams from 15 schools across the state. Participants receive a textbook to help them prepare for the games, as well as access to several online resources. Learn more at wisconsincivicsgames. com.
