California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia Students Spread The Good News During Digital Age
Contact: Mike Virgintino, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, 914-941-7636 ext 2219
MARYKNOLL, N.Y., March 29, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Six middle and high school students representing California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Texas and Virginia, have received cash awards for their winning submissions in Maryknoll magazine's 22nd annual Maryknoll Student Essay Contest. Maryknoll magazine is published by Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, the overseas mission society of the U.S. Roman Catholic Church.
This year's assignment, iMission, asked students to describe how young people continue to spread the Good News of the Lord throughout a world increasingly dominated by and dependent on instant messaging and online social networking. For 100 years, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers has been following Jesus' command to "go out to the whole world and spread the Good News." While ever-changing technology now provides unique, easy and instantaneous communications opportunities from almost anywhere, Maryknoll asked teenagers and pre-teens to share the many ways that they share Jesus' message with others.
"After reading the essays written by boys and girls from Catholic schools all over the 50 states about how they use the new technology of the social media to spread the Good News, I am greatly encouraged," said Sister Mary Ellen Manz, a Maryknoll Sister who oversees the essay selection committee. "From what they tell us, they are very aware of the dangers that can entrap them and are turning that around in many ways. By using our newest technology to reach out to others and create wonderful ways to express their faith, they are truly carrying out the call to mission received at baptism."
More than 3,500 students competed in two divisions (grades six to eight and grades nine to 12) for nearly $3,000 in cash prizes. The awards include $1,000 for each of the two first place finalists, $300 for each of the two second place finalists and $150 to each of the two third place award recipients.
For the first time, two award recipients are representing the same school. Students from Holy Family High School in Broomfield, Colorado, will receive first and second place awards. The essays written by the first place winners in each category will be published in the May/June 2011 issue of Maryknoll magazine. All essays will be published online at www.maryknollsociety.org/winners.
The 2010 Maryknoll Student Essay Contest Awards will be presented to:
Division I (grades six to eight)
First Place ($1,000): The Bishop Francis X Ford Award is named in honor of the Maryknoll priest who died in a prison in China during 1952.
Clarissa Vokt (eighth grade), St. John Vianney School, San Jose, California. Principal: Sister Michele Anne Murphy. Teacher: Ms. Kathleen Cook.
Second Place ($300)
Julia Pelletier (eighth grade), St. Agatha School, Milton, Massachusetts. Principal: Ms. Maureen Simmons. Teacher: Ms. Ann-Louise Sullivan.
Third Place ($150)
Oscar Rubio, (seventh grade), Sacred Heart Catholic School, Del Rio, Texas. Principal: Ms. Aurora Guerra. Teacher: Mrs. Jane H. Steffey.
Division II (grades nine to 12)
First Place ($1,000): The Bishop Patrick J. Byrne Award is named for the missioner who died on a forced march in Korea during 1950.
Kelly Dempsey, (10th grade), Holy Family High School, Broomfield, Colorado. Principal: Mr. Tim Gallic. Teacher: Mr. Dave Good.
Second Place ($300)
Maeve Donovan (10th grade), Holy Family High School, Broomfield, Colorado. Principal: Mr. Tim Gallic. Teacher: Mr. Dave Good.
Third Place ($150)
Candy Suh (12th grade), Roanoke Catholic School, Roanoke, Virginia. Principal: Mr. Patrick Patterson. Teacher: Ms. Veronica Van Deventer.
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers is the overseas mission outreach of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, following Jesus in serving the poor and others in need in 26 countries. All Catholics are called to mission through baptism, and Maryknoll's mission education outreach in parishes and schools throughout the country engages U.S. Catholics in mission through prayer, donations, as volunteers and through vocations.
During 2011, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers will commemorate its centennial with a theme of The Gift of Mission -- The Maryknoll Journey. These missionaries will celebrate as they continue their journey into the next 100 years to share God's love and the Gospel in combating poverty, providing healthcare, building communities and promoting human rights. For more information, visit maryknollsociety.org.
Follow Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers on Twitter at twitter.com/MaryknollNews and Facebook at www.facebook.com/maryknollsociety.
