The Bernice L. Fox
Classics Writing Contest
Winners
1985-Present

2018 Winner:  Chibuzor Onwochei of Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.  Her teacher is Dr. Keely Lake.  The topic was "A classical 'Wonder Woman' appearing out of her native context to save the day".  This year there were 62 entries from 13 schools in 8 states and the United Kingdom.  Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions.  Click here to read the winning entry. 
2017 Winner:  Ben Dahan of Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California.  His teacher is Ms. Ann-Marie Fine.  The topic was "A Figure from Classical History, Literature, or Mythology as the Next President of the United States:  Make a pitch for a classical figure as president, or depict that person acting as president, or on the campaign trail."  This year there were 105 entries from 24 schools in 19 states and the United Kingdom and Poland.  Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions.  Click here to read the winning entry.    
2016 Winner: Alex Frank of Portland High School in Portland, Maine. His teachers are Mrs. Michelle Tucci and Mr. Phil Thibault. The topic was “The Trial of Aeneas: Imagine that Aeneas is on trial for abandonment of Dido of Carthage in a modern American courtroom. Give your closing remarks to the jury as either the prosecutor or defense attorney.” This year there were 73 entries from 18 schools in 13 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2015 Winner: Sheridan Marsh of Westridge School for Girls in Pasadena, CA. Her teacher is Ms. Hilary Eichelberger. The topic was “A Modern Version of a Myth from Ovid's Metamorphoses - Retell a metamorphoses myth from Ovid's poem in a modern, 21st-century context.”  This year there were 91 entries from 27 schools in 15 states and the UK. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2014 Winner: Anna Stollman of Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown, PA. Her teacher is Mrs. Karin Suzadail. The topic was What twelve labors would Hercules have today and how would he complete them? This year there were 129 entries from 35 schools in 15 states and the UK. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2013 Winner: Skip Estes of Monacan High School in Richmond, Virginia.  Skip’s teacher is Ms. Linda Wagstaff. The topic was to argue for or against Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon. This year there were 101 entries from 30 schools in 15 states and in Italy. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2012 Winner: Luke Zabroske of Trinity High School in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The topic was to write a proposal or a pilot episode for a TV series based on Classical Mythology but set in the United States in the 21st century. This year there were  111 entries from 36 schools in 15 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2011 Winner: Jack E. Brown of the Charter School of Wilmington in Wilmington, Delaware.The topic was “Star Wars and Classical Mythology : Compare Luke Skywalker or Anakin Skywalker with a Hero from Greek Mythology.” This year there were 118 entries from 45 schools in 16 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2010 Winner: Yasmin Rafiq of Midlothian High School in Midlothian, Virginia. The topic was: “The Judgment of Paris in 21st Century America: Retell the story of the Judgment of Paris as if it were taking place today in the United States.” This year there were 129 entries from 43 schools in 21 states plus the United Kingdom.List of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2009 Winner: Ursula Quinn of Irvington High School in Irvington, New York. The topic of this year's contest was “Twelve Olympian Gods for 21st Century America: If the twelve Olympian deities of Greece and Rome were worshipped today what would be their areas of interest, attributes, etc.?” This year there were 184 entries from 54 schools in 19 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2008 Winner: Nadia Pierrehumbert of Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. The topic of this year's contest was “The Modern Labors of Hercules: If Hercules were alive today what twelve labors would he perform?”  This year there were 233 entries from 57 schools in 22 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2007 Winner: Michael Seitz of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. The goal of this year's contest was for the students to imagine a Greek hero giving an address to a joint session of the U. S. Congress today. This year there were 147 entries from 29 schools in 17 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2006 Winner: Mary Caroline Miller of Midlothian High School in Midlothian, Virginia. The goal of this year's contest was to compare a living American president to an appropriate character from Greek mythology. The title of the winning entry was "Carter and Hestia: Faithful Servants."  123 entries from 28 schools in 18 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2005 Winner: Amanda Galloway of Midlothian High School in Midlothian, Virginia. Topic: Imagine that Helen of Troy is on trial for causing the Trojan War in a modern American courtroom. Give your closing remarks to the jury as either the prosecutor or defense attorney. 196 entries from 59 schools in 23 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry
2004 Winner: Noah Weiss of Edwin O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut. Topic: Retell the story of the Judgement of Paris in a 21st-Century Context. 221 entries from 59 schools in 20 states and New Zealand. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2003 Winner: Christine Boylan of Rosary High School in Aurora, Illinois. Topic: If Hercules were performing his Twelve Labors today, what would they be? Be sure to make a close link between ancient and modern labors. 212 entries from 45 schools in 21 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2002 Winner: Katherine Roseanne Jaeger of Monacan High School in Richmond, Virginia. Topic: Communicate to an ancient Roman how Latin and Roman culture are important in 21st century America. 141 entries from 35 schools in 17 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
2001 Winner: Lauren Dahler of Lakewood High School of Lakewood, Ohio. Topic: Modern Equivalents of the 12 Olympian Deities. 116 entries from 26 schools in 15 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry. 
2000 Winner: Shannon Perkins of Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine. Topic: The twelve labors of Hercules for the new millennium. 316 entries were received from forty-eight schools in 17 states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
1999 Winner: Danielle Pinto of the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, Pennsylvania. Topic: Closing remarks for either the prosecution or defense in a trial of Aeneas for breach of promise and abandonment. 248 entries were received from twenty nine schools in thirteen states.  Of these 168 argued for the defense and 80 for the prosecution. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. Click here to read the winning entry.
1998 Winner: Elizabeth Covart of Manchester High School West in Manchester, New Hampshire. Topic: to imagine that they were living in Pompeii in 78 A.D. and to describe their surroundings, family life, and daily activities. 429 entries were received from fifty-two schools in eighteen states. Contest statistics and list of honorable mentions. 
1997 Winner: Jennifer Miller of Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, Illinois. Topic: to retell the story of the Judgement of Paris as if it were taking place today in the United States. 552 entries from 69 schools in 25 states.
1996 Winner: Carol Elizabeth Vige from Eau Gallie High School, Melbourne, Florida. Topic: Modern equivalents for each of Hercules' twelve original labors.363 entries from 61 schools in 23 states.
1995 Winner: David P. Perrelli of Guilford High School in Guilford, Connecticut. Topic: "A tour of his school to Diogenes the Cynic" chosen from 320 entries from 44 schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
1994 Winner: Paul Niemiec of Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois. "Once Upon a Story, a Comparison of Walt Disney and Aesop" Entries from 354 students at 55 high schools in 17 states and 2 Canadian provinces
1993 Winner: Tarayn Grizzard of Mt. Saint Mary Academy, Little Rock, Arkansas. Topic: "Twelve Modern Labors of Hercules" chosen from 320 entries from 41 schools in 10 states and Canada.
1992 Winner: Kimberley Munger of The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia. Topic: "Creation of a modern metamorphosis myth" chosen from 480 entries from 68 high schools in 25 states, as well as Canada and Great Britain
1991 Winner: Andrew Brooks Reid of Naperville Central School in Naperville, Illinois. Topic: "If the ancient Greeks and Romans were living today, what additional god or goddess would they have?" chosen from 515 students from 79 high schools in 17 states
1990 Winner: Katie Cuplin of Rockford, Illinois. Topic: "A new myth based upon Classical antiquity" chosen from 306 students in 36 high schools
1989 Winner: Ursula Musser of Culver Girls' Academy in Indiana. Topic: "Cave Canem: Discuss the role of animals, domesticated and wild, in the life of the ancient Greeks and Romans." No statistics available
1988 Winner: Tony Hinrichs of Dowling High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Title: "The Mythical Monsters of the Ancient Greeks and Romans--Were They the Ancestors of Our Modern Monsters?" chosen from 81 entries from 31 high schools in four states
1987 Winner: Robert Cowles of Culver  Military Academy in Culver, Indiana. Title: "The Image of the Hero in Classical Mythology" chosen from 73 entries from 18 high school in four states.
1986 Winner: Albert Kerelis of Marist High School in Chicago. Title: "Where Have All the Gods Gone?" chosen from 144 entries from 30 high schools in three states
1985 Winner: Mary M. Boehm of St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. Topic: "The Modern Labors of Hercules" chosen from 98 entries from twenty-six high schools in three states.

This webpage was prepared by Professor Thomas J. Sienkewicz. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.