Circleville High School junior Shannon Benner has been named the 3rd place winner in the State of Ohio for the Sons of the American Revolution sponsored George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest.
For the contest, Benner was required to submit "an original 800- to 1,200-word essay based on an event, person, philosophy or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. Each student’s essay [was] judged based upon its historical accuracy, clarity, organization, grammar and spelling, and documentation".
Her essay, entitled "The Trues causes of the American Revolutionary War" identifies a "series of events rather than one pivotal moment" as most closely contributing to the concerted organization of colonial efforts against the crown leading up to 1776.
Benner is a junior at Circleville High School where she is involved in Mock Trial, volleyball, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and plans to pursue a career in the medical field upon graduation in 2020.
"Shannon is an outstanding student, strong writer, and is very conscientious about all aspects of her school work, and this assignment appealed to her meticulous nature," said Jason Wells, Benner's English teacher. "The essay requires a lot of work, from research to writing to documenting sources, and Shannon did a great job in all areas."
Benner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and recognition certificate in light of her achievement.
Congratulations to Shannon and her English 11 teacher Jason Wells in this impressive feat.