Celebrating 15 Years of Empathy and Creativity: The 2025 Art & Essay Contest Awards
Celebrating 15 Years of Empathy and Creativity: The 2025 Art & Essay Contest Awards
On the evening of Thursday, June 19, 2025, the Concert Hall at Drew University resonated with applause and inspiration as the Peace Islands Institute (PII) celebrated the 15th anniversary of its statewide Art & Essay Contest. This year’s theme, “Acts of Kindness: Promoting Peaceful and Inclusive Societies,” inspired over 250 middle and high school students from 84 schools across New Jersey to explore empathy, conflict resolution, and inclusion through their powerful art and writing.
The event was a vibrant testament to the power of youth expression, featuring a student work exhibition, inspiring speeches, and the presentation of awards to 32 deserving winners.
A Message of Resilience and Hope
The keynote address was delivered by the remarkable Maud Dahme, a Holocaust survivor, author, and former president of the New Jersey State Board of Education. Ms. Dahme captivated the audience, emphasizing that “the path forward in unprecedented times is the acts of kindness that we show to one another, which lights the path to a better, peaceful future.” Her powerful words resonated deeply with the contest’s theme and the students’ heartfelt work.
A Commitment to the Arts and Conflict Resolution
The ceremony was graciously hosted by Drew University. Professor Jonathan Golden, Associate Teaching Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Drew’s Center on Religion, Culture & Conflict (CRCC), welcomed the students and their families. He spoke on the vital role of the arts in resolving hate and conflict, connecting the evening’s celebration to the university’s own commitment to these principles through programs like the “2025 Arts of Respect Drucker Fellows Program.”
Holding the ceremony at different university campuses each year is a cornerstone of the program. It provides students a valuable chance to visit institutions that prioritize the arts, helping them see the profound impact of their work and the various ways their talents can serve their communities and future careers.
In addition a wonderful gesture of support for arts in education and youth achievement, the student winners also received special recognition from New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District Representative, Mikie Sherrill. To honor their exceptional work in the 15th Annual Art & Essay Contest, Representative Sherrill’s office sent official certificates to the students. This special acknowledgment served as a powerful affirmation of their talent, hard work, and thoughtful engagement with the “Acts of Kindness” theme.
Event Video: Relive the night’s inspiring moments with our summary video, perfect for sharing:
Announcing the 2025 Winners
We are proud to present the award recipients of the 15th Annual Art & Essay Contest. Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding and inspiring work!
Check our 15th Art & Essay Booklet
Art Category – High School
- 1st Place: Chloe Kim, 11th Grade, Bergen County Academies (Sponsoring Teacher: Eungrace Choi)
- 2nd Place: Joshua Ha, 10th Grade, Leonia High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Samantha Pincus)
- 3rd Place: Emma Nelson, 10th Grade, Morris County School of Technology (Sponsoring Teacher: Ruben Rosado)
Art Category – Middle School
- 1st Place: Serena Jung, 8th Grade, River Dell Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Dawn Rivas)
- 2nd Place: Evelyn Bober, 8th Grade, Memorial Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Amanda Marinaro)
- 3rd Place: Aaron Baik, 8th Grade, Christ The Teacher School (Sponsoring Teacher: Amanda Natt)
Essay Category – High School
- 1st Place: Kayla Park, 10th Grade, Leonia High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Nicole Bozik)
- 2nd Place: Vanshika Auwk, 9th Grade, Robbinsville High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Adam Tatgenhorst)
- 3rd Place: Arrianna Hylton, 12th Grade, Passaic County Technical Institute STEM Academy (Sponsoring Teacher: Lori Henry)
Essay Category – Middle School
- 1st Place: Griffin Brandes, 8th Grade, Memorial Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Amanda Marinaro)
- 2nd Place: Anya Bhavanasi, 8th Grade, Warren Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Susan Cooper)
- 3rd Place: Justin Kim, 6th Grade, Lewis F. Cole Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Michael Pachos)
Special Mentions
PII also recognized a number of students for their exceptional contributions with Special Mention awards.
Art – High School Special Mentions:
- Jayla Mozo Rojas, 9th Grade, Asbury Park High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Jill Rosker)
- Audrey Cho, 10th Grade, Academy of the Holy Angels (Sponsoring Teacher: Yoon Jeun Kim)
- Nuri On, 9th Grade, Bergen County Technical HS – Teterboro (Sponsoring Teacher: Bridget Centeno)
- Gamin Kim, 9th Grade, Bergen County Academies (Sponsoring Teacher: Grace Choi)
- Juni Park, 10th Grade, Grace Art studio (Sponsoring Teacher: Grace Choi)
Art – Middle School Special Mentions:
- Elina Yoon, 6th Grade, The Elisabeth Morrow School (Sponsoring Teacher: Jin Kim)
- Janice Kye, 6th Grade, Notre Dame Academy (Sponsoring Teacher: Thehwa Go)
- Maria Bazelak, 7th Grade, Clearview Regional Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Jenna Sciarrotta)
- Soohyun Hwang, 8th Grade, Bergen Art Studio (Sponsoring Teacher: Hyunri Kim)
- Sewon Lee, 8th Grade, Lewis F. Cole Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Rhonyelle Sowell)
Essay – High School Special Mentions:
- Meral San, 12th Grade, Glen Rock High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Valerie Jaretsky)
- Ansh Chaudhuri, 9th Grade, Watchung Hills Regional High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Jamie Lott-Jones)
- Angie Yang, 9th Grade, Bridgewater-Raritan High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Xenia Stryzak)
- Jehee Nam, 10th Grade, Tenafly High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Amanda Oppedisano)
- Joseph Cerami, 9th Grade, Watchung Hills Regional High School (Sponsoring Teacher: Jamie Lott-Jones)
Essay – Middle School Special Mentions:
- Jimin Kwon, 7th Grade, Charles DeWolf Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Deirdre Egan)
- Ella Kray, 8th Grade, Memorial Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Amanda Marinaro)
- Zeynep Ozgun, 8th Grade, Edep Academy (Sponsoring Teacher: Wafa Ayyad)
- Esmeralda Savinon, 8th Grade, Paterson Public School #16 (Sponsoring Teacher: Sonja Capers)
- Zoey Levinson, 7th Grade, Monroe Township Middle School (Sponsoring Teacher: Danielle Sammut)
Join Us in Building a More Peaceful World
The Art & Essay contest is more than a competition; it is a platform for empowering young people to become thoughtful, compassionate leaders. Thank you to our sponsors, partners, judges, teachers, and families for their unwavering support.
Share your memories with us! #artandessay #artandessaycontest
You can support the work of the Peace Islands Institute and help us continue these vital programs. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made by scanning the QR code on our site or via Zelle at infonj@peaceislands.org.
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