2023 Student Contest Winners

At Americans United, we envision a nation where we are all free to believe or not believe as we choose, where our laws don’t allow anyone to use their beliefs to harm others, and where we can come together as equals to build a stronger democracy.

In this year’s Student Contest, we asked high school and college students to submit a piece of original writing or an original video to express their vision for church-state separation.

What would happen if we secured separation of church and state in the United States, and all people were able to live as themselves and believe as they choose?

Here are the winning high school submissions

2023 Essay Winners

First place—Aisha O’Neil

Second place—Emerson Rock

Third place—Sam Canter

2023 Video Winners

First Place—Hannah Kamseuh

Second place—Lyric Williams

Third place—Devin Huynh

Here are the winning college submissions

2023 College Essay Winners

First place—Kylie Marozsan

Second place—Aria Swenk

Third place—Isaiah Savoie

2023 College Video Winners

First place—Emily Ciulla

Second place—London Cobb

Third place—Patience Wallace