Denver, April 29, 2011. The Mountain States Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) announced the winners of The Leslie and Norman Davis Student Essay Contest – A Tribute to Moral Courage: Standing Up Against Injustice. Using the Holocaust as a backdrop, middle and high school students were asked to write about an individual who demonstrated moral courage, how that person’s actions had an impact on the world, and how those actions influence the students today. The winning students will receive awards at ADL’s Governor’s Holocaust Remembrance Program in Denver on May 3, 2011.

Twenty-two judges chose six winning essays from 321 thought-provoking essays submitted from Colorado and Wyoming. The winning essays can be found here.

7-9th Grade Division Winners:

• First Place: Sara Beer, 9th Grade, Erie High School, Erie, CO
• Second Place: Haley Wilhelmsen, 8th Grade, Miller Middle School, Durango, CO
• Third Place: Jonathan Higerd, 9th Grade, Erie High School, Erie, CO

10-12th Grade Division Winners:

• First Place: Patricia Olivas, 11th Grade, Arrupe Jesuit High School, Denver, CO
• Second Place: David Merewether, 10th Grade, Karval Public School, Karval, CO
• Third Place: Gary Marquette, 11th Grade, Rock Solid High School, Littleton, CO

For almost 100 years, ADL has been fighting hate. Today, ADL is the nation’s premier human relations and civil rights agency combating racism, anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry. Through this student essay contest, ADL continues that work by asking our youth to discover the past of “ordinary” heroes and connect it to their lives today in hopes that we can learn how to make a difference.

The families of Leslie and Norman Davis are the generous underwriters of this student essay contest. Leslie and Norman had a lifelong commitment to social justice and civic service, acting to address injustice whenever they encountered it. Each served as the Chair of ADL’s Mountain States Regional Board and received ADL’s Distinguished Community Service Award. Leslie was a founder of the Denver’s Women’s Bank and Georgetown University’s Program for Jewish Civilization, and was Board Chair of Children’s Hospital. Norman was Board Chair of National Jewish Hospital and both were involved in numerous philanthropic activities for people of all faiths and backgrounds. This essay contest is dedicated to their memory.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.