2021 High School Scholarship Essay Contest

PSR/Sacramento congratulates the winner of our 2021 High School Scholarship Essay Contest, which was open to all high school seniors in Sacramento and surrounding counties. The prompt for our 2021 contest was the following excerpt from the Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech given on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) by Executive Director Beatrice Fihn on December 10, 2017:

“The story of nuclear weapons will have an ending, and it is up to us what the
ending will be. Will it be the end of nuclear weapons, or will it be the end of us?”

Beatrice Fihn delivering 2017 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech on behalf of ICAN

The Winners of our 2021 High School Scholarship Essay Contest Are:

First Place Winner ($3,000 Scholarship)

Kaila Donato
Stockton Early College Academy
Stockton, California

Second Place Winner ($2,500 Scholarship)

Chet Hewitt
Christian Brothers High School
Sacramento, California

Third Place Winner* ($2,000 Scholarship)

Matthew Adams
El Dorado High School
Placerville, California

Third Place Winner* ($2,000 Scholarship)

Jenna Pimenta
Saint Francis High School
Sacramento, California

$1,000 Scholarship Winner

Emma Hofmann
Folsom High School
Folsom, California

$1,000 Scholarship Winner

Deric Kitsuda
Natomas Charter School
Sacramento, California

$1,000 Scholarship Winner

Trisha Nagin
Inderkum High School
Sacramento, California

$1,000 Scholarship Winner

Advait Thaploo
Mira Loma High School
Sacramento, California

$1,000 Scholarship Winner

Sierra Vasquez
Amador High School
Sutter Creek, California

$1,000 Scholarship Winner

(Student’s name and high school withheld at student’s request)

$250 Scholarship Winner

Aaliyah McElroy
Folsom High School
Folsom, California

$250 Scholarship Winner

Nicole Purda
Laguna Creek High School
Elk Grove, California

* Two students tied for third place