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By Paul Chasko

The Pennsylvania Society recently announced winners of their Tenth Annual Benjamin Franklin Scholar Award.

Shelby Nigon

This is an essay-writing competition open to all Pennsylvania public school students in good standing in their junior year of high school. The competition winners are:

1st Prize: Shelby Nigon – Elizabeth Forward High School, Elizabeth Twp.
2nd Prize: Jordon Smith – West York High School, York
3rd Prize: Sarah Richter – Council Rock North High School, Newtown

Entrants submitted an original essay of no more than 750 words discussing the modern-day relevance of the Benjamin Franklin quote, “Think of three things; whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.”

The essays were reviewed by judges named by the Pennsylvania Association of School Counselors, the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals and the Pennsylvania School Board Association. The criteria for judging is appropriately tough – original work of course, demonstrating hard work, displaying sensitivity to the complexities of the subject and with appropriate documentation of citations and bibliography.

The first place prize is $6,000 to further the education of the winning student – in this case, Shelby, who plans to attend a college or university studying physical therapy.

Shelby is now in her senior year at Elizabeth Forward. She is head editor of the school newspaper and a yearbook editor. She’s also in GATE (Gifted and Talented Education), and is active in Spanish Club, The Future is Mine, track, and the LEO Club, a youth organization of the Lions Club International. Shelby lives with her mother and sister Jenna in Elizabeth Township. Her award will be presented on Friday, April 22nd at a Pennsylvania Society Luncheon in Scranton, PA.

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