SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
2024 Essay Scholarship Winners!
University of US Director of Operations Sharyl Wood and the Honorable Robert M. Foster handed out the Essay Scholarships at the graduation ceremony.
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The 2024 Essay Contest judges selected 5 winners and awarded Scholarships totaling $30,000.
This year the number one winner, Annabella Zaccaro, received The Honorable Robert M. Foster $10,000 Scholarship.
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Here are the other four winners:
• Sarah Mann received The Stephen V. Ardia $5,000 Scholarship
• Amelia Burbo received The Stephen R. Braddock $5,000 Scholarship
• Jacob Clayton received The Dennis and Sherry Schroeder $5,000 Scholarship
• Emma Murphy received The Christy and Tom Henrichs $5,000 Scholarship
2023 Scholarship Winners!
University of US Director of Operations Sharyl Wood and USCSF Co-Founder Howard Pines handed out the Essay Scholarships at the graduation ceremony.
Judge Robert Foster, Head of the Essay Competition committee, shared his insights on the program and announced the 5 Essay Scholarship Winners:
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This year the number one winner, Eva Burbo, received a $10,000 scholarship.
The other four winners, Baylee Cruce, Olivia Rodgers, Charlie Norstrem and Landon Plungis, each received $5,000 scholarships.
2022 Scholarship Winner Christina Cortes Speaks at Awakenings Event
Christina Cortes speaks at Heritage Foundation's Awakenings event.
Christina Cortes, top winner of USCSF's 2022 Scholarship Program, was invited to speak at the Awakening event held by the Heritage Foundation on January 7, 2023 in Sea Island, Georgia.
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Accompanied by her parents, Christina was joined by USCSF's Howard and Judith Pines.
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Christina, a Fernandina Beach High School Junior, spoke about the University of US and Scholarship Program. She highlighted her winning essay on how logarithms can be used for voting redistricting instead of state legislatures.
Read Christina's winning essay here.
2022 Scholarship Winners!
USCSF has awarded over $250,000 in scholarships and awards since its inception in 2016. This year there were five winners of the University of US Essay Competition.
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$5,000 Scholarship Winners:
• Steve Ardia Memorial Scholarship: Eva Burbo from Home School
• Steve Braddock Memorial Scholarship: Meredith Gelston of Lindisfarne Hall
​• Dennis Schroeder Honorary Scholarship: Analise Kwiatkowski from Home School
• Miriam Sancey of Yulee High School
$10,000 Scholarship Winner:
• Christina Cortes of Fernandina Beach High School
​The essay competition topic asked the student to propose a new Constitutional Amendment. The essay should discuss the conditions that prompt the need for this amendment, the benefits of this amendment and any arguments against the passing of this amendment.
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Read Christina's winning essay here.
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2021 Scholarship Winners
Members of the 2021 University of US Class submitted winning essays on the topic:
The Supreme Court Justices
Click below to view the Scholarship Award Winners and their Essays.
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2020 Scholarship Winners
Members of the 2020 University of US Class submitted winning essays on the topic:
The Electoral College: Should it be abandoned, or should we keep it, and why?
Click below to view the Scholarship Award Winners and their Essays. Each winner will be featured in a series over the summer months.
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2019 Scholarship Winners
Five Nassau County students each received a $5,000 scholarship from the U.S. Constitution Scholarship Foundation (USCSF) presented by
The Honorable Robert Foster at a family dinner and graduation celebration for 2019.
Students were eligible for the scholarship competition by attending five of six University of US classes coordinated by Sharyl Wood, program director, and passing a final exam. Qualifiers wrote a 2000-word essay about which amendment to the Constitution they would eliminate or amend and why. Essays were judged in two blinded phases, first by the USCSF Board of Directors and second, by a team composed of Judge Robert Foster, Judge James Daniel, Chris Bryan, and Jim Flynn.
The winning essays can be viewed here.
Additional students receiving monetary awards in the competition included, Samuel Bradsher, HE, Matthew Farrell, FBHS, Katherine Gates, HE, Reegan Graves, FBHS, Joshua Hebert, HE, Emma Johnson, FBHS, Emily Joinville, YHS, Emma Lewis, HMSHS, and Brody Mandelbaum, FBHS.
Matthew Farrell and Brody Mandelbaum were also recognized for their support as student ambassadors assisting in class activities.
The Honorable Adrian Soud closed the graduation exercise with an impassioned presentation of portions from George Washington’s Farewell Address. Judge Soud explained how Washington’s
plea for Americans to avoid excessive political spirit and geographical distinction are as relevant today as in 1796.
To get updates on previous Scholarship Winners, click here.
Applications for the University of US program are available to all high school students in May of each year at the front office of Nassau County high schools, or by contacting universityofus2025@gmail.com
ESSAY COMMITTEE
Brad Clark
Bill Davis
Bob Dewey
Owen Fillima
Honorable Robert M. Foster
Honorable Jenny Higginbotham
Diedre Wallace
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