This year, Democracy & Me held two separate Student Voices Competitions at Aiken High School on the west side of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Talawanda High School in Oxford, Ohio.
Students from each school were challenged to respond to the following prompt:
Each generation feels misunderstood to some degree. Boomers are stereotypically said to be “out of touch” with current times. Generation X is said to be cynical and resistant to change. Millennials are often called entitled by older generations and “cringe” by younger generations. Gen Z is said to be addicted to technology and uninterested in face-to-face interaction. Gen Alpha has been described as the generation of “iPad kids” who ignore the world around them. How do these negative stereotypes impact members of your generation? Also, describe a societal issue that your generation is passionate about and how collaboration across people from different generations could help facilitate change?
Each winner took home a $500 prize!
Aiken New High School
Tenth grader Walter Luna Sanchez was awarded top prize for his artistic submission. Walter submitted a video in which he described social movement taken by Gen Zers in Nicaragua. View Walter’s submission here.
Senior, Sindy Perez Morales, was awarded top prize in the written submission category. Sindy’s heartfelt essay titled ” The History of Learning to Cook a Traditional Mole Recipe” detailed the unique way that ethnic food and the tradition of cooking help bridge the gaps between generations in families. Read Sindy’s essay here.
Outstanding Recognition went to tenth grader Aryanah Turner for her poem titled “Generational Flowers”. The judges were blown away by Aryanah’s creative approach to the prompt and the inclusion of crochet work in addition to the poem. View Aryanah’s piece here.
Talawanda High School
Ninth grader Evelyn Jeong, impressed the judges with her powerful essay titled “Tell a Story.” Evelyn’s writing is relatable to all generations as she covers topics such as familial ties, mental health, and the loss of empathy and communication. Read Evelyn’s essay here.
Eleventh grader, Evan Zhou was awarded top prize for his artistic submission. Evan used Procreate to create a piece stressing the importance of working together to create the best environment for future generations. View Evan’s piece here.
Outstanding Recognition went to tenth grader Melody Miao for her essay titled “Swipe Right on Humanity”. We are not replaceable algorithms or parts—we are the future. All of us, across every generation. If not us, who? If not now, when? The future needs our collective humanity. Read Melody’s essay here.
Thank you to Mr. Aaron Parker and Ms. Kendra Alexander from Aiken High School and Ms. Amanda Weatherwax from Talawanda High School! Also, thank you to all of the students who took the time to participate in this year’s contest. Check out a few other top submissions from both schools:
Aiken High School
Talawanda High School
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