Winners Selected for the Youth Forward Scholarship Essay Contest

We are happy to announce the winners for the second series of the 2016 Youth Forward Scholarship Contest.

Before doing do so, we wanted to thank everyone that participated in the contest. The essays were very inspiring and honestly it was very difficult to choose a winner. Each and everyone of you that dedicated your time for the upliftment of this world, in whatever form or function that might be, is truly a winner. And thank you for that.

Just as we thank our soldiers for protecting our country by serving in the military, your efforts are to also be applauded. Because you are choosing to make a difference in this world through acts of love and peace in order that the world be a more just place to live in. And it is your generation that will be responsible for making decisions for this world soon. And those decisions which are made with a caring, loving, and giving heart are what will save our world from all the challenges we currently face. And we face many challenges, as you all know. But in deciding to not sit by idly but to actually make a difference through our efforts, I am certain we will overcome them. You are all testament to that. So thanks again for all your submissions and truly great stories of how you are choosing to make a difference in the world.

Now to announce the winners. We initially set out to choose one winner, with the idea that the votes would play a big part in choosing the winner. Upon reading all the essays, we found that we wanted to honor the efforts of those took the time to share their essays with friends and getting high vote counts, but we also wanted to choose a winner irrespective of vote count -- a staff favorite. So, we have decided to offer two prizes going forward, one for the highest vote count and the other as the staff favorite. And instead of offering one $1,500 scholarship prize, we will be offering a $1,000 scholarship prize to each of the winners. So without further ado the winners are:

For the highest vote count and most shared essay Alan Liang, Changing the World Through Community Service

For the Staff Favorite, Helen Kassa, Giving Hope to Kids Like Me

Ideally there would be no need for scholarship contests, and each and every citizen would be assured a free college education. As you know, a high school degree does not go too far these days, and to limit one's access to education and their God given potential because of a lack of resources should not be what we as a country stand for. So, this is also up to you -- to declare that you wish for college tuition be granted as a right and not just an option for some, but a right for all. I do hope you will get involved in bringing about this change. Bless you all.