2025 Earth Day Essay Contest Awards Announced
.The University of Scranton announced the medalists of its Earth Day Essay Contest for students in grades 5 to 12 at an Evening of Environmental Science event on campus in April. Pictured from left, Mark Murphy, director of the Office of Sustainability at the University; Amelia Farry, a criminal justice major; Chris DeNaples from St. Claires/St. Paul’s Elementary School; Alexa Cutter, a media production and journalism major; Sean Kiernan, Ian Ferriera, and Dante DeVitto, all from Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School; Veronica Herrera Acosta from West Scranton High School; Rosalie Edelstein, Benny Hynds and Divya Timsina, all from Howard Gardner; Samantha Kosmar, an environmental science major; Lila Tschampel, from Howard Gardner; and Rebekah Thompson, an occupational therapy major.Students in grades five to 12 participated in The University of Scranton Earth Day Essay Contest this year. Awards were announced at the University’s Evening of Environmental Science Event on campus in April.
This year’s essay theme was “Students for a Sustainable World.”
The first-place winner of the fifth-grade essay contest was Elizabeth Cabets, from Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School. Lila Tschampel, from Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School received second place. Sadie Neary and Ava Genevich from St. Claires/St. Paul’s Elementary School won third place medals.
All of the sixth-grade student winners were from Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School. Divya Timsina took first place. The students who tied for second place were Rosalie Edelstein and Adelaide Volchoff. Finally, Dante DeVitto, placed third.
The first-place winner of the seventh-grade essay contest was Ian Ferriera from Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School. The second-place winner was Sean Kiernan from Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School. The third-place winner was Chris DeNaples from St. Claires/St. Paul’s Elementary School.
The eight-grade first-place winners were Sage Michel and Kelly Heffron, both from St. Claires/St. Paul’s Elementary School. In second place was Annabel Joyce from St. Claires/St. Paul’s Elementary School. The third-place winner was Benny Hynds, from Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School.
The ninth-10th grade essay contest winner was Veronica Herrera Acosta from West Scranton High School.
The 11th-12th grade essay contest first place winners were Simone Madore and Avianna Natale from Holy Cross High School. Gabrielle Hieber from Wallenpaupack Area High school and Madeleine Reynolds from Holy Cross High School tied for second place. In third place, Mandie Martin and Kevin Vincent tied.
University of Scranton students who work in the Jesuit school’s Office of Sustainability reviewed the essays submitted, in addition to organizing the award ceremony. University students participating were: Alexa Cutter, a media production and journalism major from Massapequa, New York; Amelia Farry, a criminal justice major from South Abington Township; Samantha Kosmar, an environmental science major from Old Tappan, New Jersey; Ian Mahalek, an environmental science major from Fairfax, Virginia; and Rebekah Thompson, an occupational therapy major from Bedminster, New Jersey. Mark Murphy, director of the Office of Sustainability at the University, has organized the Earth Day Essay Contest for a decade. It was one of nearly a dozen Earth Day events held on campus.
Information about next year’s essay contest will be posted to the University’s Sustainability webpage in January 2026.
