The Rotary Club of Meriwether County Announces State, School, and Grade Winners for The Georgia Laws of Life Essay Contest

The Rotary Club of Meriwether County announced the Georgia Laws of Life Essay Contest winners for 2022-2023. In the 12th grade at Manchester High School, Nathanael Hunt was awarded 2nd place in the State of Georgia essay writing competition.

In addition to top placement in Georgia at Manchester High School, Nathaneal Hunt is named School winner and 12th-grade winner. Other Manchester High School grade winners are Megan Wood, 11th grade; Adaysha Gardner, 10th grade; and Jayla Carter, 9th grade. Honorable mention student writers include Christi McNeil, Lamarrion Woodall, Morghan Railey, and Brandon Cummings.

Maria Mancera was named the School Winner and 10th Grade Winner at Greenville High School. Other Greenville High School winners are Ahmad Ferrell, 12th grade; Shalillan Kelley, 11th grade; Stephanie Rodriguez, 9th grade. Honorable mention student writers include Shania Mister, Amelia Phillips, Tanyja Sessions, Isaiah Toombs, Rihanna Abbott, Ahimar Cruz, Heavenly Mahone, and Daliyah Ellison.

The Rotary Club of Meriwether County has partnered with Manchester High School and Greenville High School for many years. The Contest Chair for Manchester High School is English Language Arts (ELA) Teacher Julie Renner and her team, Kim Weber, Gail McCrimmon, Craig Logan, and Greenville High School ELA Teacher Patissia Childs.

Rotary clubs across Georgia conduct the Laws of Life Essay Contest through the nonprofit Georgia Rotary Districts Character Education Program, Inc. Rotary Club members volunteer to read and judge essays, serve on the contest’s Board of Directors, and volunteer their professional expertise to help build character and ethical literacy among students.

“The essay contest is an opportunity for Rotary clubs to share their Service Above Self motto with local students and schools,” said Carol Gray, Executive Director for Georgia Laws of Life.

For the 2022-2023 contest, 32,401 students wrote essays, and 66 participating Rotary clubs in Georgia were awarded over $20,000 in cash prizes. Awards go to 199 school winners, grade winners, and select teachers from 66 high schools throughout Georgia. Additional students receive honorable mention recognition. Throughout the spring, winning students will read their essays to enthusiastic audiences at local and district-wide Rotary Club meetings and regional Rotary conferences. Georgia Laws of Life will also feature in social media, winning students reading their essays.

Since 1999, the Georgia Laws of Life Essay Contest has impacted over 750,000 students. Inspired by the power of simple quotes, or Laws of Life, Sir John Templeton established the writing competition in the 1980s to encourage young people to embrace the wisdom of these sayings and live their best lives. In their essays, students use the law to reflect on values that mean the most to them –generosity, courage, perseverance, honesty, integrity, and compassion. Teachers at participating Georgia schools select the best work from among their students to enter the contest.

The Georgia Laws of Life Essay Contest is made possible through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. Additional support comes from Rotary Clubs, corporations, and individual donors throughout Georgia.

Picture of Laws of Life Student Winners: (back row, left to right): Brandon Cummings, Manchester High School, 9th Grade Honorable Mention; Ahmad Ferrell, Greenville High School, 12th Grade Winner; Nathaneal Hunt, Manchester High School, 2nd Runner Up in State, School Winner and 12th Grade Winner; Maria Mancera, Greenville High School, School Winner, and 10th Grade Winner; Shania Mister, Greenville High School, 12th Grade Honorable Mention; Shalillan Kelley, Greenville High School, 11th Grade Winner; Rihanna Abbott, Greenville High School, 10th Grade Honorable Mention; Adaysha Gardner, Manchester High School, 10th Grade Winner; Christi McNeil, Manchester High School, 12th Grade Honorable Mention. (Front Row, Left to Right): Heavenly Mahone, Greenville High School, 9th Grade Honorable Mention; Daliyah Ellison, Greenville High School, 9th Grade Honorable Mention; Amelia Phillips, Greenville High School, 12th Grade Honorable Mention; Ahimar Cruz, Greenville High School, 10th Grade Honorable Mention; Isaiah Toombs, Greenville High School, 11th Grade Honorable Mention; Tanyja Sessions, Greenville High School, 11th Grade Honorable Mention; Stephanie Rodriquez, Greenville High School, 9th Grade Winner; and Jayla Carter, Manchester High School, 9th Grade Winner.