Laws of Life essay contest winners awarded April 20

Platinum winner, Sadie Doering, Hope Lutheran High School


Gold winner, Molly Berlin-Burns, Winona Senior High School


Silver winners, Jung Yeon Lim, left, Cotter High School; and Emily Mastenbrook, Winona Senior High. Not pictured is Dakota Ellinghuysen, Hope Lutheran.


The English class award winners from the Laws of Life Essay Contest are, from left: back, Nicole Haedtke, Amanda Schwerzler and Shaina Laska from Hope Lutheran and Emilio Taiveaho from Cotter; front, Michaela Peplinski, Eia Shina Lor, Tracy Yim and McKenna Marg from Cotter. Not pictured are Jeffrey Sia and Zhihua Chang from Cotter and Mike Hang from Winona Senior High.

Hope Lutheran blue ribbon award winners: Abbey Nelson, Jedidiah Cranor, Jordan Gahnz and Cadence Klemp.


Cotter blue ribbon winners: Ding Hua Cui, Mari Min, Fei Shen and Hannah Kosel.


Winona Senior High blue ribbon winners: Claire Smart, Rudi Ramirez, Marité Olmstead.

WINONA, Minn. — Each year students at Winona schools submit essays that reflect on the values, ideals and principles that mean the most to them in the annual Laws of Life essay contest, organized by Saint Mary’s University and sponsored by Winona-area businesses and organizations.

Winners of individual categories — announced April 20 — receive cash and or varying-level renewable scholarships to Saint Mary’s.

The Laws of Life Essay Contest was founded in 1987 by Sir John Templeton of the John Templeton Foundation. This foundation is committed to advancing a broad spectrum of activities, including studies, award programs and publications that promote the character development of young people in secondary schools, colleges, and universities.

In 1996, William Schuler approached Saint Mary’s University to begin this contest at Winona Senior High and Cotter High School, with Hope Lutheran joining in 2008. This event is made possible with his help, and the help of many other generous supporters — including Merchants Bank, William and Barbara Schuler, Junto Club, Dr. Thomas and Leone Mauszycki, Dr. Roger and Peggy Zehren, Fred Fletcher and Shelly Smith-Fletcher, Zehren Dental (Dr. Peter and Kimberly Zehren), Tony and Kathy Piscitiello, Dan and Sandy Hall, Mayor Jerry and Susan

Miller, Dr. Mark and Melissa Martin, Paul and Lori Ness, Neil and Ann Sawyer, the Winona Area Retired Educators Association, Fred and Marilyn Foss, Green Mill Restaurant and Bar and other anonymous donations.

This year’s Laws of Life essay contest winners, their schools and their awards are:

• Platinum — Sadie Doering, Hope Lutheran High School ($1,000 cash and a $3,000 scholarship).

• Gold — Molly Berlin-Burns, Winona Senior High School ($400 cash and a $2,000 scholarship).

• Silver — Jung Yeon Lim, Cotter High School; Emily Mastenbrook, WSHS; and Dakota Ellinghuysen, Hope Lutheran ($200 cash and a $1,000 scholarship).

• Blue ribbon award winners — Marité Olmstead, Claire Smart and Rudi Ramirez, WSHS; Jedidiah Cranor, Jordan Gahnz, Abbey Nelson and Cadence Klemp, Hope Lutheran; and Fei Shen, Hannah Kosel, Ding Hua Cui and Mari Min, Cotter ($100 cash prize).

• English class awards —Tracy Yim, Zhihua Chang, Jeffery Sia, McKenna Marg, Emilio Taiveaho, Shina Lor and Michaela Peplinski, Cotter; Mike Hang, WSHS; and Amanda Schwerzler, Nicole Haedtke and Shaina Laska, Hope Lutheran ($50 savings bond from Merchants National Bank).

Judges for this year’s event included: Maxine Aldinger, Dr. James Armstrong, Jerome Christenson, Dr. William Davis, Cynthya Porter, Dan Hall, Dr. Peggy Johnson, Louis Kluesener, Allison Babler, Kevin Mahoney and Grace Hudlik.